A free quarterly online magazine devoted to Commedia

Commedia Zannizine is a periodical carrying articles about various aspects of Commedia dell’Arte.

Commedia Zannizine is a free, open access journal that can be downloaded to share and enjoy. Issues are published quarterly with contributions from the leading players internationally, sharing knowledge and passion to gather inspiration from the past, foster experimentation and collaboration in the present and secure a future for the Commedia.

This website serves as an archive to collate all the holdings, as well as provide details of other events within the Commedia world.

This search function can be used to seek specific articles, items, contributors, events or references:

Latest Issues

Why ‘Zanni’?

His name puts him as the last, though not the least of the Masks of the Commedia – actually there was a Zorg and a Zuccarino listed by Allardyce Nicoll – of which little more than their names are known, both were in fact Zanni, for as you know the word Zanni, the form being the same in singular and plural, can be used in a generic sense to refer to any or all of the male servant Masks of the Commedia dell’Arte, but also identifies a very specific character, one who appears from the earliest times and here represents the past – Commedia dell’Arte’s near on five hundred glorious years; the early days of setting up in the streets and market places of Italy, the later performances at royal and ducal courts, the acclamation of kings and the establishment under their protection in the great cities of Europe, the eventual invasion of Britain and the transformation to Pantomime – Grimaldi, Rich and Garrick too; the Victorian Harlequinade; Fokine’s ‘Carnaval’ and 1920’s figurines dancing across many an Art Deco mantelpiece.

Why ‘Zine’?

Ah, Zine is a new word. A mere contraction. But experiment - say it with an upward inflection. Sing it, shout it, proclaim it, whisper it. Then try the whole word: Zannizine. Whisper it into someone ear!

“Have you heard about the Zannizine. Shhh! Pass it on!”

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