In commedia dell'arte, the zanni are the lower-class characters. They are often either servants or clowns. Their costumes are usually ragged and include patchwork to signify their economic status. Zanni are also known to speak in regional dialects.
Zanni used to be a singular character. In literature, zanni first appeared as a servant to Pantalone. Some key traits of zanni include a large appetite, ignorance, awkwardness, obliviousness, faithfulness, and living in the moment rather than thinking of the future. Some other qualities are histendency to fall asleep at unusual times and having extreme emotional reactions.
Over time, many variants of Zanni emerged. Each one retains the core traits of the original character, with their own additional quirks. In general, zanni are schemers who often play a central role in uniting the innamorati. Much of their intrigue comes from the juxtaposition of their obliviousness with extreme cleverness, which often renders them unable to perform simple tasks but inexplicably capable of seemingly impossible feats.
The clothing of a Zanni character usually consisted of white baggy clothing, which was often made of old flour sacks. It evoked the clothing of farmers and peasants from that time. Specific characters had trademark colors or patterns. Many zanni would carry a wooden sword and wear a pointed hat. The zanni were masked characters. The masks stopped at the mouth to allow for audiences to see them talk to Pantalone. The length of the nose on the mask was also said to be proportional to the stupidity of the zanni. The longer the nose, the less intelligent the character.
In performances, zanni would walk with an awkward stance with an arched back and unevenly distributed weight on the legs and low center of gravity. Their limbs would often be bent at odd angles. They often perform tricks like juggling and tumbling. Thanks to their overall silly demeanor, the English word zany is derived from this character archetype.
As time went on, it was common to cast zanni in two specific roles; First Zanni and Second Zanni. The former was a witty and clever trickster, while the latter was silly and less bright. Some First Zanni characters were Mezzetino and Brighella. These characters would move the plot forward and charm the audience with their sharp cynicism. Some Second Zanni characters, on the other hand, were Arlecchino and Pulcinella. These characters were often dull and foolish. Rather than moving the plot, they were more effective at generating humorous moments.
| First Zanni | Second Zanni |
|---|---|
| Witty, clever | Silly, unintelligent |
| Move plot | Comic relief |
| Ex: Mezzetino, Brighella | Ex: Arlecchino, Pulcinella |
Zanni actors must have quick wits and impeccable comedic timing, especially when performing in pairs. Zanni characters are also highly physically demanding for their actors, since these characters were known for their acrobatics, dancing, and various tricks such as walking on stilts.
Some examples of zanni include Arlecchino, Pedrolino/Pierrot, Pulcinella, Brighella, Scapino, Columbina, Burattino, Smeraldino, Beltrame, and Mezzetino.