Italian Punk Soap Opera Jemma Jessup Il Lirica Punka Design Character: Francesca Ben Miles Full House Producer Character: Pantalone Lorna Rees Il Lirica Punka Direction Character: Isabella Mal Smith Il Lirica Punka Musical Director Character: Arlecchino Lydia Toumazou Full House Education Director Character: Columbina Ben Tait Project Manager Writer Character: Flavio Click any of the above images to see more Il Lirica Punka images Il Lirica Punka blends storylines and characters from renaissance Commedia Dell'Arte with an eclectic range of punk, new romanticism and music from the last century. Commedia Dell'Arte was an outdoor theatrical form that flourished in the early renaissance. Translated literally into English, the name becomes comedy of the (performers') art. Essentially a low comic form, Commedia was popular with all classes. Its popularity meant troupes soon moved from their native Italy and by 1750 the performance style could be recognized across Europe, whether as the Comedia-Italienne, the Harlequinnade, Punch and Judy or Pantomime. Today its wider influence is clear, from the English Elizabethan Drama right through to Charlie Chaplin, The Marx Brothers, Mel Brooks, Rowan Atkinson, Sienfeld and Frasier. Il Lirica Punka currently consists of three scenarios, each of around fifteen minutes. Each performer knows who will be in which scene and what must be communicated but there is no script. This produces a rare sense of freedom for performers and audience alike, not least as the troupe are at times, and just amongst themselves, a little competitive. The scenarios are exceptionally complicated, but bare in mind each character is only after money, food or sex, and it eventually comes clear. Love triangles, mistaken identity, comical cross-dressing and a plethora of musical accompaniments make each performance, whether The False Woman, The Folly of Loving the Lusting of Men, or The Parallel Parable of the Embittered Former Young Lovers, a unique experience for all. It should also be noted that when not on stage the 6-strong troupe have a habit of popping up around the fringes of any given event, where they commit random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty with unbridled passion and ruthless sincerity. If you like what you see and want to book Il Lirica Punka then please contact: Ben Tait on 0793 053 4077 Or email: bentait@ifb.co.uk Presented by Home | My CV | Interests | Contact Me Hand Modelling | Wedding |