Vivetta:
I know you know me, even if you can’t seem to figure out my given name – just call me The Funny Girl. Of course I would have been one of the zaniest zanne in the 16th century in Florence, had not women been banned from commedia erudita by the Church and thusly from the bands of dell ‘arte players by custom. Perhaps I was there flitting by in the blink of an eye as some unnamed female zanne. (probably played by a young male player in training) Too bad circumstance never allowed the Funny Girl to shine in dell ‘arte’s earliest times. If I had been given a chance, my signature costume would have been a hodgepodge of bright colors, attempting to mimic high fashion, but somehow always falling far short of the couture of the day. I know I would have been as highly popular as Arlecchino and my cousin, Columbine. No matter.
Regardless if my face is missing from all of the commedia dell’arte known tradition, I am one of the essentials in comedy. Who would Papageno be without Papagena? Just your average fat boy tootling a Magic Flute, that’s who.
I would know you anywhere. Everybody Loves Lucy and in the late 20th century you have your own anthem – Girls Just Want to Have Fun.
Are you sure you don’t mean me? At least I am mentioned from time to time in the histories of commedia dell ‘arte?
I think not dear. Vivetta is just having fun, so much so that she can’t possibly be as busy with the boys as you are. It doesn’t seem if she worries much about her popularity with boys, or at least she doesn’t let on at all.
Dearest Francesquina – one could never confuse the two of you. Or confuse me either with Vivetta. Her charm is her complete lack of guile and her unbridled enthusiasm for life. Unlike me she can be a bit awkward, yet she is so childlike, all can be forgiven without reservation. You and I, however, love our romances, in our own very different ways.