It’s big, it’s shiny, it’s beautiful, and everyone wants it: a ravishing ruby called the Scarlet Heart.
Barrhead junior high drama club students are gearing up to put on The Scarlet Heart, a Commedia dell’arte comedy performance.
There will be two showings of the unique comedy. The first on April 24 at 6:30 p.m. and the second April 25 at 6:30 p.m. Admission to the play, which runs about half an hour, is $10 for adults and $5 for students.
Drama club director and teacher Elizabeth Sutherland said anyone who thinks they may find humour and joy in the zany side of theatre should consider buying a seat to the show.
On one side of the plot are three mischievous thieves, Brighella, Arlecchino and Stupino, who want nothing more than to get their hands on the Scarlet Heart. The only problem is, even with all three of their minds put together, the trio isn’t the brightest.
Their master plan involves dressing up in disguise to try and infiltrate the Hotel Amatta, where the jewel is. Fortunately for the jewel owner, this doesn’t work in their favour.
Meanwhile two young lovers, Flavio and Flaminia, are having a difficult time finding employment. Instead of making their own fortune, they go from rags to riches when they steal from a well-off soldier, Capitano.
Left without his clothing or his medals, Capitano spends much of his time searching for Flavio and Flaninia in his bright red underwear.
Perhaps the only relatively normal character in the play is Columbina, a trickster and servant at the hotel. Sutherland said the character is surrounded by stereotypes, either someone who is greedy, overly flirtatious, or really quite stupid.
Commedia is a form of theatre characterized by overly dramatic masked types, which began in Italy in the 16th century. Sutherland said even unmasked characters in a Commedia performance traditionally went for a very theatrical look with full, exaggerated makeup.
The masks in this production, which are quite striking in appearance, are what prompted Sutherland to choose this type of performance in the first place. They were handmade by an artisan in the United States, and said she wanted to put them to good use.
Sutherland went on to say she doesn’t think Commedia gets too much recognition in the world today. It’s more of an unknown genre for the general public, but it can be so much fun.
“I think theatre can end up being a little stiff,” she said. “I would love to see more silliness.”
In this production, unlike many areas of theatre, the cheesier, the better. Sutherland said this play is quite different than what she is used to, as she doesn’t often do anything this comedic.
“They’re young kids figuring out how fun theatre can be,” said Sutherland. “It’s neat to watch, it’s only half an hour out of your day, and we guarantee you’ll leave with a smile.”
