The Dentist (A Comedy to be Improvised by a Commedia dell Arte Comedy troupe.

The troupe can improvise all kinds of Lazzi to carry out the follo in! Acts. " Ar!ument for the Commedia In the city of #ome there as once a certain $antalone% father of a youn! man named &razio% and father of a dau!hter named 'laminia. The youn! man fell in love ith a noble ido called Isabella% and his love as returned ith e(ual affection) *+T $antalone% no less than his son% also burned ith the same love for the ido Isabella. $antalone% seein! himself practically scorned by her% determined that it as because he had as a rival his o n son% &razio% and because $antalone anted no impediment to his love in the future% he decided to send &razio a ay to school. $antalone,s plan reached the ears of the ido Isabella% ho% not sufferin! such ne s !ladly% conspired ith an old family friend% ho told her that she possessed the secret recipe for a certain candy hich ould leave itless hoever tasted it% renderin! him idiotic. 'urthermore the old family friend had a second secret recipe% and antidote% hich ould reverse the contrary effect. Thereupon the friend ar!ued that by temporarily deprivin! the son &razio of his its% the ido could easily dissuade the father $antalone from sendin! the son a ay. -hen Isabella consented to the plan% the treated candy as sent to &razio. -hat happened then you ill kno from the conclusion of the tale. Characters in the Comedy $antalone &razio% his son 'laminia% his dau!hter $edrolino% a servant 'lavio Isabella% his sister% a ido 'ranceschina% her servant Arlecchino% her servant Captain /pavento The Doctor $as(uella% an old oman $rops for the Comedy T o bo.es of candy A dentist,s costume *lacksmith,s tools A comfortable armchair

The action takes place in #ome.

0 ACT &12 $antalone ($edrolino" tells $edrolino of the love for the ido Isabella% and onders if &razio% his son% isn,t his rival% and that because of his doubts he has decided to send &razio a ay to school. $edrolino reproves him% takin! &razio,s side. They attack each other ith ords and blo s) $antalone overcomes $edrolino and bites him very hard on the arm. $antalone% threatenin!% leaves% sayin! that he ould speak ith 'ranceschina. $edrolino resolves to aven!e himself for the bite he has received from $antalone. Then%

'ranceschina comes lookin! for &razio on the orders of her mistress) she sees $edrolino and learns from him the cause of his sore arm. They a!ree to fei!n that $antalone,s breath stinks in order to be aven!ed. $edrolino remains. Then% 'lavio $edrolino The Doctor and Doctor) reveals his love 3for 'laminia4 to $edrolino% slappin! him on the arm. $edrolino cries out% then they a!ree to fei!n that $antalone,s breath stinks. 'lavio e.its) remains. Then% to hom $antalone o es t enty5five scudi% enters. 6e !rabs $edrolino by the arm% and he cries out% and the same a!reement about the stinkin! breath is made by them% $edrolino promises to help the Doctor recover his t enty5five scudi. 2.it $edrolino !oes to find &razio% and e.its.

Cpt. /pavento declares his love for Isabella% and boasts of his bravery. Then% Arlecchino 'laminia Isabella sad) $edrolino his arm the Arlecchino Isabella,s servant% plays a ridiculous scene ith him% and !oes into the house to !et Isabella to come out. The Captain aits. ho has seen the Captain% hom she loves% from the indo % be!s him for his love. -hereupon% comes out% believin! that &razio is there. The Captain asks her for her love. /he brushes him off% and they play a three5 ay scene. At the end Isabella enters the house% dismissin! the Captain) he does the same ith 'laminia% and leaves) she remains then% ho has heard everythin! from the side% threatens to tell her father) then they a!ree to the stinkin! breath trick ith her father. /he !oes in. $edrolino complains about more than ever% even thou!h it,s been banda!ed% and he ould be aven!ed before hole to n. Then% arrives. $edrolino induces him ith money to pretend to be a dentist% sends him off to !et dressed% and Arlecchino e.its. $edrolino stays) then%

&razio

hears from $edrolino ho $antalone% his father% is also in love ith Isabella% and ishes to send him a ay to school. &razio% !rievin! at such ne s% puts himself in $edrolino,s

7 &razio ants Isabella $antalone hands% and is promised aid% and they a!ree about the stinkin! breath trick. to talk ith Isabella. $edrolino calls her. hears him declare his love and hears of his impendin! departure. /he !ro s sad) then%

is heard yellin! offsta!e. Isabella% hearin! him% !oes in. $edrolino ar!ues ith &razio because he doesn,t ant to !o to $eru!ia. $antalone sees his son% and orders him to !o ri!ht a ay and !et ready because he ants him to !o to $eru!ia. &razio% all a5 tremble% !oes in to !et ready% !lancin! at $edrolino. $antalone hears that $edrolino has spoken ith 'ranceschina. Then $edrolino says8 9+!h% master% your breath stinks somethin! a ful:; $antalone lau!hs) then% 'ranceschina does the same% addin! that if his breath didn,t stick so% Isabella ould love him) she enters the house. $antalone is amazed) then% 'lavio The Doctor 'laminia &razio dentist% Arlecchino 9-ho $antalone the thro s the house. passes by and% at a si!n from $edrolino% plays the same trick on $antalone% and e.its. $antalone !ets orried about such a problem) then% arrives. $edrolino !ives him the si!n for the breath trick) the Doctor does the same% and e.its. $antalone ants to ask his dau!hter hether the stench is real) he calls her. confesses to her father ho his breath stinks somethin! a ful% and !oes in. 6e remains. Then% comes out% confirms the same% then returns the house. $antalone decides to have the tooth hich is the cause of the odor puled) he orders $edrolino to brin! him a and !oes in. $edrolino remains. enters dressed as a dentist. $edrolino orders Arlecchino to pull all of $antalone,s teeth% tellin! him that they are rotten) he hides. Arlecchino cries out under the indo 8 has rotten teeth;) then% calls him from the indo % then comes out. Arlecchino pulls out his tools% hich are all blacksmith,s tools% !ivin! them ridiculous names. 6e has him sit do n% and ith pliers he pulls out four !ood teeth. $antalone% because of the pain% !rabs the beard of dentist% hich since it is false% stays in his hand. Arlecchino flees) $antalone chair after him. Then% cryin! for the pain from the teeth% he enters the And thus ends the first act. ACT T-& $as(uella Isabella that she them to an old oman% and friend of Isabella% comes to visit her) she knocks. tells $as(uella of her love for &razio% and that he must leave to obey his father. $as(uella consoles her% promisin! her aid ith her secret formulae% and tells her ill !ive the special candies to Arlecchino ithin the hour% and that he ill brin! her. /he e.its) Isabella remains% happy) then%

< $edrolino $antalone (&razio" $edrolino to 'lavio dress Arlecchino Isabella $edrolino happy about the trick played on $antalone% tells Isabella ho $antalone is obstinate% and he ants &razio to leave the city) then% enters% takin! &razio to the bank for money% so that he can depart immediately. 6e sees Isabella% salutes her% then leaves ith &razio behind him) &razio si!nals Isabella and indicates that she should contact $edrolino% and e.its. Isabella tells come to her ithin the hour) then% sees him talkin! to his sister% !ro s suspicious% and sends her into the house% threatenin! $edrolino% ho placates him by tellin! him that he ishes to help him in 'laminia for his ife% and to !et him into the house ith her. 'lavio% happy% receives orders to up as a dentist% and e.its. $edrolino% lau!hin!% !oes off to find &razio. enters% proud on the =ob he,s done on $antalone) then% from the indo % sends him to the house of $as(uella for the candy) she ithdra s. Arlecchino remains) then% arrives% and they proceed to lau!h at the =oke played on $antalone) then%

Cpt. /pavento arrives% blusters at Arlecchino% ho tells him aside that his mistress has !iven instructions to $edrolino as to ho he% the Captain% mi!ht !et into the house. The Captain !oes to $edrolino. Arlecchino leaves. $edrolino% kno in! nothin! of this% tells him randomly that he is to !o dressed in the >enetian (red robe" style like $antalone% because it ill !et him into the house. The Captain% happy% !oes off to dis!uise himself. $edrolino remains) then% 'laminia her The Doctor accepts it) $antalone Doctor% &razio 'lavio $antalone asks him hat the sub=ect of his ne!otiations ith the Captain as. $edrolino says that that evenin! her friend ill come% dressed as a oman) he asks to borro one of dresses. 'laminia% happy% !ives it to him% and enters the house. $edrolino stays. ants $edrolino to !ive him the t enty5five scudi promised him in $antalone,s name% and $edrolino% by an inspired stroke% !ives him the dress instead) the Doctor then% arrives% sees the Doctor ith the dress% calls him a thief% and beats him. $edrolino does the same% pretendin! not to hear his ords% and they !o into the house. The desperate% e.its% demandin! =ustice. !oes to pay his respects to Isabella before leavin!) he knocks. enters dressed as a dentist and shouts under $antalone,s indo ) then% comes out and beats him% believin! him to be Dentist Arlecchino% and then !oes back in. 'lavio runs off.

Cpt. /pavento enters dressed a $antalone) then%

? 'lavio returns% and believin! him to be $antalone beats him thorou!hly% and all e.it. And thus ends the second act. ACT T6#22 Arlecchino Isabella $edrolino &razio Cpt. /pavento 'laminia The Doctor $edrolino ith candy bo.es% enters) he knocks. takes the bo.es% and sends the one hich causes madness to &razio% and keeps the other hich restores sanity) she !oes in. Arlecchino remains) then% arrives) Arlecchino !ives him the bo. that he mi!ht !ive it to &razio% and !oes inside. $edrolino takes some of the candies and puts them in his pocket) then% receives the bo.) then &razio takes Arlecchino ith him% to send some thin!s to Isabella. $edrolino remains% eats the hidden candy% then loses his senses) then% ants to kill him. $edrolino speaks absurdities and acts crazy. The Captain is amazed% lets him !o% and remains. be!s for his love a!ain) he an!ry% brushes her off) she% indi!nant% decides to love 'lavio% and !oes in. enters demandin! =ustice for himself) then% arrives) the Doctor threatens him) he responds in a crazy manner. The Doctor e.its) $edrolino remains.

'ranceschina speaks to him and he acts the same% then leaves. 'ranceschina follo s him do n the street. Arlecchino Isabella 'lavio happy% sends $antalone $edrolino &razio 'lavio desperate% calls for Isabella. hears ho &razio% after eatin! the candy% has !one mad. /he tells Arlecchino to do hatever he must to brin! him to her. Arlecchino e.its. /he remains) then% asks her hy she is so sad. /he% thus ur!ed% tells him hat has happened ith her love and of the madness of &razio% and of havin! the secret of curin! him. 'lavio% speaks of his love for &razio,s sister% and tells her to leave everythin! to him and he inside) he !oes to find $antalone. enters% not kno in! hether &razio has left yet) then% arrives and al ays responds in a crazy manner to $antalone) then% enters in a heavy coat% plays a mad scene% and e.its% $edrolino does the same and e.its. $antalone despairs) then% consoles $antalone by tellin! him that &razio,s health is in the hands of his sister. $antalone calls her out.

@ Isabella offers to $antalone to cure his son &razio% but she asks t o favors) one% that 'laminia become the ife of 'lavio% her brother% and the other that &razio be married to homever he ishes. $antalone a!rees and calls ho% content% accepts 'lavio for her husband) then% enters actin! crazy and sayin! mad thin!s. 'lavio de.terously leads him into his house) the others remain. returns% sayin! that &razio has come to his senses. enters ith Isabella% ho demands the other favor of $antalone% and she asks for &razio as her husband. $antalone a!rees) then%

'laminia &razio 'lavio &razio (Isabella"

The Doctor enters% fleein! from $edrolino% ho is actin! crazy. 'lavio takes him into the house% $edrolino cures him% then leads him out) he reveals to $antalone ho ven!eance as taken for the 'ranceschina bite ith the stinkin! breath trick and the tooth e.traction% and everythin! else that he has done) and he confesses his failin!s and asks pardon of all those ho have been offended by him) everyone lau!hs%

and thus ends the story.