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Character Analysis
Character Name

 		 Pedrolino

Although there is a record of a Piero in 1547, throughout the rest of the 16th century the character was obscure until re-emerging as Pagliaccio (1570), then Gian-Farina (1598), becoming Pedrolino as the creation of Giovanni Pellesini who played first with a company known simply as Pedrolino’s (1576), then with the Gelosi, then with the Uniti, and finally the Confidenti.  The name Pedrolino was used throughout the 17th century, finally being adapted in France from a minor variant, Pierrotto, into Pierrot in 1665. – Rudlin

He has been called Pagliaccio, Bertoldo, Gilles, and Gros-Guillaume.  – Rolfe

Sometimes doubles as Pierrot depending on the needs of the scenario. - Shane
 
 

Status
 

 

 Most Commedia troupes were family-based.  Pedrolino, being the role given to the youngest son, is therefore bottom of the pecking order, the one who has to sleep in the straw with the animals:  Pagliaccio, (from pagliaio, a pile of straw).  He is often the butt of jokes, especially concerning his cowardice, but he never loses his dignity.  – Rudlin

Pedrolino, originally a servant, also played other roles such as a young lover, innkeeper, or others, and did not develop the fixity of characters that the other masks did.  His own mask was a white-powerdered face.  Moliere used him in his plays, changing his name to the French equivilant, Pierrot.  And in the 19th century he became a unique character, the romantic creation of Jean-Gaspard Deburau (1796-1846) who also made him mute.  – Rolfe

Zanni. - Gordon

Costume
His baggy white clothes are hand-me-downs and too big for him, sometimes even with sleeves too long for his hands to be visibile.  In early illustrations he can easily be confused with Pulcinella.  Tunic has pockets to keep a variety of small objects, usually only of sentimental value.  Pointed white hat.  – Rudlin

Long baggy white jacket with a very large falling collar going from his neck to his shoulder.  The jacket fastens in the front covered by round white spheres.  White hat with a disk brim. – Shane

Peppe Nappa is the Sicilian Pedrolino.  He dresses in blue, dances, leaps high into the air, is double-jointed and always active.  He does not powder his face.  He should have great play of facial expresssion. – Duchartre

(As Pierrot) Dressed in a white, loose-fitting outfit with a large collar. - Gordon

Origin (History)
Pedrolino, Pierro, and Piero are one in the same person.  The character dates from the second half of the 16th century, and not the second half of the 17th century, as is generally supposed.  Pedrolino was originally a valet, but he differs radically from the other valets of the commedia dell’arte:  he is a young, personable, and trustworthy individual who can be a charming lover if necessary, like Lelio and Flavio, although he usually confines his attentions to the soubrettes.  He cannot be considered, strictly speaking, a substitute for the other valets, for whom he doubled occaissionally; he played in his own right in all the principal troupes of the 16th century, including the Gelosi, and appeared on the stage along with Bertolino and Burattino or Harlequin and Francatrippa or other pairs of Zannis.  The 16th century Pedrolino has such engaging simplicity and elegance that one is tempted to think of him as having sprung from the charming fantasy of Watteau or of Marivaux. – Duchartre
Physical 
Appearance		 Youthful and cute in an adorable childlike manner. - Shane
Mask

White face, originally floured (Gian-Farina).  He thus has a range of emotional expressions denied to other Masks.  – Rudlin

(As Pedrolino) No Mask.  (As Pierrot)  White-faced without a mask. - Gordon

His own mask was a white powdered face. - Rolfe

Small mask covering the eyes only, like a raccoon mask or Lone Ranger/Zorro mask. – Shane

Signature 
Props

 

 His signature comes mainly from his costume.  Although depending on his role in the scenario, he may carry props to reveal his intention.  For example, if he is a lover, he might carry a flower, or if he is imitating Capitano, he might carry a weapon. - Shane
Stance
 		 Feet in third position, not too much movement in the knees.  Elbows bent, hands kept up and active.  – Rudlin
Walk
 

 

 Direct, in straight lines.  Head moves like a chicken, elbows up.  – Rudlin

Walks in striaght lines with head looking down like a chicken pecking the ground until he arrives at the destination and he looks up.  This leaves potential for him to be surprised, shock, etc.  – Shane

Poses
 
 
 

 

 1.)  Hands loose and arms hanging along sides.  Legs straight.
2.)  Hands hidden in long sleeves and arms up in the air as if a string puppet or marionette.
3.)  As Peppe-Nappa, double-jointed poses or movements.
4.)  Imitating Capitano.
5.)  Feet open and arms folded with sleeves hanging down.
Movements

 

 Always Energetic.  As Peppe-Nappa, performed with swift, double-jointed movements.  As Pierrot he was known for his ability to execute sudden acrobatic turns.  - Gordon
Gestures Youthful and fidgety, gestures are usually huge but come off small due to the large costume.  - Shane
Speech
 
 

 

 His voice is light and lilting, in contrast to Arlechinno.  It is very easy to make his inflections ‘camp’, but this is not correct and can create wrong assumptions in the spectator.  – Rudlin

He was sometimes mute. - Gordon

Animal
 
 
 

 

 His job is to look after the animals – the pack mule, perhaps a performing bear or some monkeys.  He has a special affinity with dogs since he shares their abused, half-starved lives.  Although an animal-lover, he remains intensely human, a human animal, not a hybrid like the other Masks. – Rudlin

A chick or baby bird. – Shane

Relationships A loner, an observer of the follies of others, but unhesitatingly faithful to his master and to Colombina for whom he suffers eternally unrequited love.  If she deceives him he blames himself for not being adequate as a lover.  – Rudlin

The Flamino Scala scenarios often utilize him as a lover as well as a Zanni, usually in love with Franceschina.  He often imitates the Captain and serves as a valet for the other characters.  - Duchartre

Relationship 
to 
Audience		 Lives in his own world in the world of Commedia, and is too embarrassed to face the audience. – Shane
Frequent 
Plot 
Function		 Initially the warmer-up or barker for the show, later grew, especially in the scenarios of the Flamino Scala troupe, to be the linchpin.  He takes a child-like delight in practical jokes and pranks, but otherwise his intrigues are on behalf of his master – he is too honest and self-effacing to do otherwise.  At times, however, the best he can scheme for is to escape the punishment others have in store for him.  – Rudlin
Characteristics
 
Zanni.  Generally a likable simple character who sometimes imitated the Captain.  Energetic, he pretended to be mute.  No mask. – Gordon

In pieces where Pedrolino is in love with Franseschina, which were created by Flaminio Scala, there is a tenderness and sensitiveness more characteristic of the lovers in the aristocratic pastorals of the period than of the kind of companions to whom Pedrolino was accustomed.  He was non-the-less a comic character.  – Duchartre

Although Pedrolino gave rise to the French Pierrot; no distinction was made in Italy between him and the other Zannis.  – Mic

When Franceschina deceives him outrageously he shoulders the blame and dissolves into tears of self-reproach for sins he has never committed.  And when Pedrolino is induced by Harlequin to play tricks on Pantalone or the Doctor he is in evitably the only one ever caught or punished.  Although he is often beaten by his masters, his hardshiops never have much effect upon his appetite.  – Duchartre

Lazzi



 

 1.)  Imitation Lazzi, usually of Capitano.
2.)  Mute Lazzi of the other characters trying to interpret what he is saying.
3.)  Lazzi of tangling his sleeves.
4.)  Lazzi of having his sleeves tied by another character.
5.)  Lazzi of falling down, usually when carrying something.
A Bibliography

Commedia dell'Arte: An Actor's Handbook by John Rudlin.  Routledge 1994

Commedia dell'arte: A Scene-Study Book by Bari Rolfe.  Personabooks 1977

The Commedia dell'Arte by Winifred Smith, New York, 1912

The Italian Comedy by Pierre Louis Ducharte.  Dover Publications, inc.  1966

Lazzi: The Comic Routines of the Commedia dell'Arte by Mel Gordon.  Performing Arts Journal Publications  1983

Scenarios of the Commedia dell'Arte:  Flaminio Scala's Il Teatro Delle Favole Rappresentative translated by Henry F. Salerno Limelight Editions  1996

All other comments have come from growth and experience of the performers of Commedia dell'Carte