by John a. Cross (Author), Chiara Durazzini (Translator), Jess Rudolph (Illustrator)
This book is the first nearly complete (poetry and verse omitted) translation of the only known personal manuscript notes of a Sixteenth Century Commedia dell'Arte performer. This is a very important work for anyone interested in what such actors said and did in their improvised performances. Included with the literal translation are the detailed play outlines from the twenty plays in these manuscripts. In the original the outlines are terse and ambiguous, making them difficult to perform, but this book provides versions of each of them that have been resolved into clear entrances, exits, motivations and actions for every scene. Scholars get their literal translations. Performers get playable plays, as well as examples of prologues, monologues and one-liners that this Sixteenth Century actor thought were worthy to write down.