Harlequin and Columbine are probably two of the most familiar characters of the Commedia Dell’Arte. Certainly to those raised in the classical ballet and all holiday theater-goers, they are characters of Drosselmeyer’s toys that magically come to life at the Christmas Eve party at Grandma’s house. The characters are in I Pagliacci, the opera, and numerous novels and plays.
Italian name for Harlequin was Arlecchino, and he was the sidekick servant of Pantalone, the merchant. However, as the role of the sidekick is often more playful than the “straight man”, just like in TV sitcoms, the range of possiblilites for Arlecchino/Harlequin was nearly endless. He is the trickster. He is always agile, and moves through scenes as gymnastically as possible. I think of Seinfeld’s Kramer as the Harlequin of that ensemble. His costume was always motley, and over time evolved to the signature diamond multicolor patterns of red, blue,and green surrounded by gold braid trim. Often in his tradiational cosutme, he wears the jester’s hat with the many horns and bells.
Columbine is the servant of the Inamorata, sometimes called Isabella. She is in love with Arlecchino. She is the only female zanni, or clown, in the traditional Commedia Dell’Arte. She sings and dances, and generally tries to keep him from getting into trouble by following his misheivious nature. In the English Pantomime, all of the male characters are enamoured of her, as she is the epitome of feminine grace and beauty.
During the time of King James I the Commedia Dell’Arte came to the England, although some sources place the first performance at court in the time of Charles I. However, unlike the Italian troupes with there plethora of characters, the English variation developed into the grand tradition of pantomime, with Harlequin (Arlechinno) being the clown “prince” of the troupe. In the English incarnation, he is more than the clowning servant, he is imbued with magical qualities, being able to change shape as well as perform sleight-of-hand. His traditional black mask became a signal - when up he is able to be seen, when down he is invisible. The scenes of comic sketches in the English pantomime tradition bear his name: “Harlequinades”
Antique French Jumping Jacks
Dover Publications
ISBN: 0486237125
http://store.yahoo.com/doverpublications/0486237125.html
Harlequin and Columbine by Booth Tarkington
A short novel about the production of a play where the lives of the actors mirror the script and sometimes insisting that the script mirror life, and the vanities of actors in the dramatic process. Read it online at the Gutenburg project: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6401
Painting
Harlequin and Columbine (Voulez-vous triompher des Belles?)
Jean-Antoine Watteau
Circa 1717 Oak Panel
http://www.wallacecollection.org/c/w_a/p_w_d/f/p/p387.htm
Harlequin Valentine - a comic Book
Writer: Neil Gaiman
Artist: John Bolton
Publisher: Titan Books (ISBN 1-84023-411-3)
