Commedia Dell'Arte: A Handbook for Troupes
This title and its companion, Rudlin's 1994 Commedia dell'Arte:  An Actor's Handbook, give the reader a thorough overview of this  wonderful theatrical art form. Both Rudlin and Crick have  directed and/or performed commedia dell'arte, and they bring  historical, theoretical, and practical perspectives to the text.  Their research brings together information on the  internationally renowned troupes from 1568 to 1622, the  so-called golden age of improvisation before the art form became  more solidly text-based. As interesting as the historical  material is the information on contemporary 20th-century  commedia dell'arte troupes who perform in English, including one  in this reviewer's own state of Texas. Anyone interested in  starting a troupe will learn much from these case studies and  histories as the historical material is enriched with practical  advice on performance, creating sets and costumes, and forming  and training a company. Rudlin and Crick devote an entire  chapter to the creation of the ever-important mask, and another  extremely helpful chapter teaches the various aspects of script  and scene creation. Songs, dances, and costume patterns are also  included. Highly recommended for academic and public  libraries. Susan L. Peters, Univ. of Texas, GalvestonCopyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.