A form of folk theatre including farces, dance, mime, acrobatics and music. It first appeared in sixteenth-century Italy and spread to many parts of Europe. In Commedia dell’arte, the plot always revolves around the love affairs of a number of couples. The key parts are played by two old men, Pantalone and Il Dottore, surrounded by a number of comical servants or zanni, one of whom is called Scapino. The actors playing these parts wear a half-mask. Many figures from the Commedia dell’arte have also made a place for themselves in puppet theatre, in particular the zanni Pulcinella, Arlecchino and Pedrolino (Pierrot) as well as Colombina, the sweet maidservant.