A BRUSH WITH GENIUS

Recently, I watched a brief television documentary about Leonardo da Vinci, from a series entitled ‘Raiders of the Lost Art’, which examines cases where famous and celebrated works of art have simply disappeared. It featured art experts, each of them seated, talking to someone slightly off camera. How refreshing not to have some manic presenter walking around, waving his or her hands in the air, or talking to the camera whilst driving, with interspersed shots of the vehicle’s rear view mirror, a gear change etc. Worst of all is when they are walking away from the camera, talking back to it over a shoulder.

Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci, born in Tuscany in 1452,  is one of history's most brilliant brainiacs, whose areas of interest included invention, painting, sculpting, architecture, science, music, mathematics, engineering, literature, anatomy, geology, astronomy, botany, writing, history and cartography. Phew! 

I came across some quotes attributed to him, and I reckon they have relevence to treading the boards.

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Yup! Don’t over-egg the pudding when you are performing in a play!

“The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions.” – could relate to the ego-trippers who regard appearing on stage as an opportunity to set aside the script and show off.

“Every action needs to be prompted by a motive.”… echoes my advice to actors... only move if there is a reason for it.”

“Intellectual passion drives out sensuality.” Here, I define “sensuality” as, “the condition of being pleasing or fulfilling to the senses.” So, one simple definition of vaudeville comedy seems to fit … “Straightout nonsense, expertly done.”

“It is better to imitate ancient than modern work.” Yes! Learn from Stan and Ollie, the Marx Brothers, and others of their ilk who did it years ago, but it’s never been bettered... and never will be.

Leonardo da Vinci died in 1519, just one year after Niccolo Machiavelli had written the five-act comedy, ' La Mandragola' (‘The Mandrake’), one of the earliest plays with commedia-like characters and plot. It was published in 1524 and first performed in the carnival season of 1526.

On February 25, 1545, a troupe under the leadership of Ser Maphio signed the first contract of theatrical incorporation in Padua, Italy. The document, is the oldest extant record of actors conceiving of their work as a legitimate industry. Commedia dell'Arte (which translates as “comedy of the guild/professional”) put the “business” into “show business”!

From Commedia dell'Arte came slapstick and pantomime.