Commedia dell'arte is the first modern theater - inspiration to Shakespeare, Moliere, Goldoni, Mozart, and Balanchine and forerunner of the modern stage comedy. This book traces the history of commedia from its beginnings through many transformations to its rediscovery in the experimental theater of today. The depiction of commedia in the visual arts has a rich history. From Tiepolo and Watteau to Beardsley, Picasso, Hockney, and other modern masters, painters have found great resonance and meaning in the clowns and lovers of commedia. Lynne Lawner traces all these threads, unearthing rare texts of commedia plays, discovering myriad versions of the ever-fascinating Harlequin, Pierrot, Columbine, and Pulcinella, relating the gossip of courts and theaters, and revealing the ways in which these figures and their classic stories - the sly servant, the foolish soldier, the clever maid, the quack doctor - have arisen again and again in art.

The author takes readers on a journey in the footsteps of Harlequin and Pulcinella, two well-known commedia dell'arte masks, to show the historically fluctuating way in which they participated in building "Italianness" in the eyes of foreign theatre audiences (the history of the Harlequin mask in France, Italy and Poland in the XVII and XVIII century) and local ones (the history of the Pulcinella mask, or the Italian dialect theatre of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, which historians, at a certain point, erased from the process of the creation and construction of the Italian national community). Using modern performance studies methodologies, this book effectively cuts the distance between past and present theatre practices, opening new prospects for an active and clearly situated epistemology for theatre studies, cultural studies, media studies, and performance studies.

Charles Dickens' 'A Dickens Boxed Set' is a comprehensive collection of the acclaimed author's works, including 20 novels, over 200 short stories, plays, poems, and articles. The collection showcases Dickens' versatile writing style, ranging from social commentary to ghost stories, all set against the backdrop of Victorian England. Readers will be captivated by Dickens' intricate plots, vivid characters, and poignant themes that continue to resonate with modern readers. This boxed set offers a glimpse into the literary world of one of the most influential writers of the 19th century. Dickens' use of satire, humor, and compassion makes this collection a must-read for any literature enthusiast. Dive into the pages of this boxed set to experience the timeless brilliance of Charles Dickens' storytelling. With something for everyone, from the casual reader to the serious literary scholar, 'A Dickens Boxed Set' is a treasure trove of literary gems waiting to be explored.