Commedia dell'arte is a form of
theatre characterized by
masked "types" which began in
Italy in the 16th century and was responsible for the advent of the actresses and
improvised performances based on
sketches or
scenarios. The closest translation of the name is "
comedy of craft"; it is shortened from
commedia dell'arte all'improvviso, or "comedy of the craft of improvisation". Originally, it was called
commedia all'improviso. This was to distinguish the form from
commedia erudita or learned comedy that was written by academics and performed by amateurs.
Commedia dell'arte, conversely, was performed by professional actors (
comici) who perfected a specific role or mask. Italian theater historians, such as Roberto Tessari, Ferdinando Taviani, and Luciano Pinto, believe
commedia was a response to the political and economic crisis of the 16th century and, as a consequence, became the first entirely professional form of theater. This is debated though, as evidence shows that there were possibly acting unions prominent as far back as the Greek Times.