Columbine is planning a banquet for which she needs groceries: herbs such as hemp oil and stone root, ingredients for "Better than Sex Cake," and lots of Rocky Road ice cream. She asks Harlequin to write down her grocery list but, as usual, Harlequin merely mumbles and falls asleep. He dreams a mixed-up of "sex, drugs, and Rocky Road" from the grocery list in his mind. In his dream he has become the master. All of the other characters have become the opposite of their normal selves and they want him to solve their problems. Harlequin is overwhelmed by the changes. Fortunately, it's only a dream!

THE ABDUCTION (13 minutes)

What happens when dimwitted Lelio and self-centered Isabella sneak out of the house to go to a party? Everyone thinks they have been kidnapped! Things get worse when scheming Harlequin delivers the frightening ransom note demanding gold from Pantalone! Luckily the great Capitano rises to the occasion and volunteers to rescue Isabella from the evil abductors! With Capitano and Harlequin on the case, will they uncover a conspiracy of deceit and deception that reaches the highest levels of our government? No! But they will uncover a whole boatload of laughs!

SIN-SATIONS (14 minutes)

When Pantalone starts complaining about his back pain, Harlequin comes up with a voodoo fix. He uses a ritual to pass Pantalone's sensations aside. Unfortunately, everybody else begins to feel Pantalone's pain, but Pantalone can't feel anything at all. So when Harlequin kicks him, he doesn't feel it. But a chain reaction moves throughout the rest of the characters who feel his pain and other sensations as well. The chain reaction continues until a brawl occurs leaving all but Pantalone feeling sore and beaten.

ELIXIR OF LOVE (18 minutes)

Capitano wants to take Isabella as his wife, but he knows she does not love him. He tells Harlequin about an elixir, which makes people fall madly in love with the first person they see after drinking the elixir "with their eyes closed." Harlequin agrees to help Capitano administer the elixir to Isabella in exchange for Harlequin getting to use some of the elixir on Columbine. As various people swallow the elixir, everything gets mixed up. People are falling in love all over the place but with the wrong people! After an exhausting chase, Columbine realizes what Harlequin has done and punishes him.

URANUS (18 minutes)

Pantalone has been afflicted with a mysterious illness, called "Uranus." Columbine, his servant, seeks to cure Pantalone using a grotesque enema machine and medicine, despite Pantalone's repeated requests for a doctor. Columbine uses her fellow servant, Harlequin, to assist her in her efforts. However, Pantalone's next-door neighbor, Capitano, has differing ideas as to how Pantalone should be rid of Uranus, namely a fantastic cure-all he obtained on one of his many voyages. A chamber pot and "bathroom" humor figure prominently in the "cure."

Meanwhile, Pantalone's daughter, Isabella, and her none-too-bright lover, Lelio, use Pantalone's illness to try and have some time together without Pantalone knowing. He strongly disapproves of their relationship. Harlequin's "help" causes more harm than aid with his usual irresponsible behavior. Confusion and disguises reign supreme as each character seeks to accomplish his or her respective goal.

AMNESIA (23 minutes)

A spiraling cluster of mix up after mix up, Amnesia brings to light the true meaning of mistaken identity. As each character is hit on the head, each one awakens with "amnesia." Other characters take advantage of their memory loss by using the victims to further their own goals. Loss of memory can be restored by another blow to the head, further complicating which characters are in their "right" mind. How many slapstick blows will it take to bring everybody back to normal? I forget.

GRAVE MISTAKES (27 minutes)

Lelio and his heartthrob Isabella are in love. But her father Pantalone wants her to marry his good friend Capitano who has just returned from pillaging in a far off land. Pantalone induces Capitano to give him a vast treasure for Isabella's hand in marriage. Pantalone must avoid Columbine who will certainly put a stop to the marriage, so he arranges to meet Capitano in the graveyard at midnight to seal the deal. Meanwhile Harlequin overhears their plans and wonders how he can use this information to profit himself. Conveniently, Columbine enters, distressed about Harlequin killing her cat and, after some persuasion, he spills the beans. Columbine then plots with Isabella to end the arranged marriage. They decide to meet at the graveyard at midnight and Harlequin will make sure Lelio meets them there.

In the darkness of the graveyard at midnight a series of mistaken identities occurs that lead to hilarious misunderstandings. The next day Columbine tries to untangle the mistaken identities, foil Capitano and Pantalone, reunite the lovers, and punish the irresponsible Harlequin.

Copyright © 2002 Last Revision: February 11, 2002 http://www.stcloudstate.edu/~tfsd/ commedia/plot.html	Theatre, Film Studies and Dance 212 Performing Arts Center Phone: (320) 255-3229 thfs@stcloudstate.edu