The three main characters of The Ship of Fools comment, critique and at times disrupt the story as it moves along. They also manipulate the Fools, be they in mask or puppet form.
Harlequin and Pierrot
These roles are modeled after 3 archetypal characters from Commedia dell’arte, an Italian theatrical style that began in the 1500s and, “was characterized by masked “types”, the advent of the actress, and improvised performances based on sketches or scenarios. Compagnie, or companies, were troupes of actors, each of whom had a specific function or role.” -Wikipedia
First there is Harlequin, an agile and bouncy joker, very mischievous and always lusting after Columbine (or food). Columbine is Harlequin’s mistress, a flirtatious and tricky feminine clown. Pierrot is also in love with Columbine, but never wins a contest against Harlequin, so is often sad, spaced-out, confused, or just plain lost.
The costumes for our show are being created by Rachel Tietjen and Domenica Peterson. These are the preliminary design sketches:
sketch for Pierrot
sketch for Harlequin
sketch for Colombine
And here are some of the early stages of fabric being created for the show:
