Company Background: Commedia dell'Arte

In its earliest form the Italian 'Comedy of the Profession' married the rough entertainments of the travelling mountebanks and street peddlers with the masks of carnival and the classicism of Greek and Roman drama. Using stock characters the actors created a vibrant physical spectacle, performed on high trestle stages in crowded squares or piazzas. Anything was possible, the audience determining the actors' responses, commenting on the action with laughter, silences or spontaneous bursts of applause.

The popularity of Commedia dell'Arte spread across Europe with profound results. Its themes can be found time and time again in the works of Shakespeare, Moliere and other great European dramatists. Some of the characters have passed into folklore and can be glimpsed today in the Blackadder series and earlier with Chaplin, Keaton and the Marx Brothers.

Company Development

Ophaboom Theatre was formed in 1991 to develop and perform Commedia dell'Arte. Drawing on Medieval Theatre and the origins of Commedia dell'Arte Ophaboom set out to create a popular style of theatre that would resonate with a modern audience, in the manner of strolling players. The company has performed at festivals, on the street, in theatres and other less conventional venues.

Ophaboom performed at every Venice Carnival between 1994 and 1998, were the first English company to perform at the Medieval Festival in Le Puy-en-Velay and have performed in France, Spain, Italy, Holland, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, Poland, and the USA.

Past Shows

Richard III 1993- ?
Where it all began for Ophaboom. Two Zanni or servants : Pedro Muscadet and Mr. Spavento put on their version of Shakespeare's tragedy, as far as they remember it. Plenty of deaths and killings and along the way the pair pick up Claudia to play all the women and a rather distinguished actor, who has gone to seed to play the hero Henry VII. This show has now been performed in nine different countries in about seven different languages and played to crowds that often exceeded 1000. The show evolved to its present state through constantly improvising at every performance.

"This was pure classic street theatre, which restored the art form's reputation in a way not seen here at the Almagro Festival for many years." ABC Madrid (July 96)

"The audience actively joined in with the antics of the actors' fertile imaginations." La Lanza (July 96)

Romeo and Juliet 1995-6
The same pair with an extra actress now put on a love story, with the two zanni playing the Montague and Capulet families. Highlights included Pedro as Paris wooing Juliet with magic flowers and much bunting and the two lovers fainting at the sight of each other's supposed corpse. The show was performed at Spain's premier festival of Theatre in Almagro, Spain and Le Puy en Velay in France, where Ophaboom was the first British company to play the festival.

Alchemy 1997
Ophaboom's first show with our own story, concerning Pantalone's attempt to find the Philosopher's Stone. This was a more traditional Commedia scenario with the three zanni playing servants to Pantalone, Octavio his son and Isabella. Highlights included the end marriage scene with four different people and a chicken arriving to marry Pantalone, also the scene where Octavio disguised as a small woodcutter attempts to steal back his lover. The show stormed the Commedia festival in Kulmbach, Germany.

Don Balderdash 1997
An outdoor show that concerned a troupe attempting to illustrate the life and adventures of a drunken captain. The show worked very well in a festival scenario, but proved difficult on the street.

The Miller's Tale 1998
Working with two writers this show shed Pedro and Mr.Spavento giving them a couple of cameos early on. This show, as fitting the work, was more medieval in look and style and successfully combined the bawdy with comedy. Highlights here included the puppet Pantalone in his boat, while the two adulterers slipped past him and a broom dance by Claudia the maid. The show toured France and Italy and ended in a show at a school attended by Bryan Ferry!

Faustus 1999
All new characters and a wonderful mask by Ninian Kinnear-Wilson pushed this show into new ground, successfully creating a dramatic and comic show that has gone down very well. The huge vegetable battle stays with everyone. See this show's dedicated page here.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame 2000
A lively reworking of Victor Hugo's novel - see here for more details.