Il Dottore
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Il Dottore or the Doctor (usually called Dottore Balanzone, Dottore Baloardo, or Dottore Graziano) is a commedia dell'arte stock character, one of the vecchio or old men whose function in a scenario is to be an obstacle to the young lovers.
He is a local aristocrat or doctor of medicine or doctor of law (lawyer), or doctor of anything he claims to know everything about, which is most things. He went all the way to Bologna to read for his degree. He is usually extremely rich, with "old" money. He is extremely pompous, and loves the sound of his own voice, spouting ersatz Latin and Greek. His interaction in the play is usually mostly with Pantalone, either as a friend, mentor or competitor.
He is typically depicted as an elderly man who only knows nonsense. He makes many cruel jokes about the opposite sex and believes that he knows everything about everything. He is an obese man that enjoys the bottle and eating to excess. His mask is unique in that it is the only mask in Commedia dell'arte to cover only the forehead and nose. It is sometimes black in color or else flesh-toned with a red nose.
His costume is usually all or mostly black, sometimes with a white collar. He frequently wears a hat, and long, trailing robes. If the actor playing him is not naturally fat then he is padded out to make him seem so.
The saying you are full of Baloney is in reference to this characters having been to the academy of Bologna. [citation needed]
[edit] Some Lazzi of the Doctor
- The Doctor mispronounces Pantalone's name in stupid and embarrassing ways and then asks for sexual favors from his wife or daughter.
- Seizing upon some trivial and well-known fact, The Doctor pretends that he has made the discovery, which is of the utmost importance.
- (in English productions) The Doctor attempts to conjugate English words as if they are Latin (i.e. complaining he’s been attacked by “hoodla” instead of “hoodlums” or speaking of going “inside and exside.”)
- Il Dottore speaks in non sequitur (sentences that do not follow on from each other) for example: "I am starved, is there any cheese left in the fridge, the feathers on that pigeon are beautiful..."
[edit] Famous Plays
- Gratiano from plays written by Shakespeare
- The doctors from Le Malade imaginaire one of Molière's plays
- Dr. Bartholo from The Barber of Seville and The Marriage of Figaro.
