The Italian Renaissance form of the commedia dell'arte emerged in Tuscany around 1550, although its origins are difficult to trace. It had its roots in the masked comedies of ancient Rome, both in the works of dramatists like Plautus, and in the folk tradition of the character acting troupes (such as the performers of the fabulae atellanae). The form combined mime, improvised and scripted dialogue (often coarse), with tumbling and acrobatics.Commedia Dell'Arte performances and techniques spread throughout Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries, with offshoots in France, Spain and England; gradually the form lost its satirical force, becoming more stylised, relying less on improvisation and more on extravagant costumes and production. It evolved in the late eighteenth century into forms such as vaudeville.

Commedia dell'arte performances centred around four principal players, Pantalone, Dottore, Harlequin, and Scapino/Brighella, with a great array of supporting characters. Part of their strength lay in the use of masks, which reinforced the idiosyncracies of the main characters, separating them from the more empathetically portrayed characters (such as the Lovers) who did not wear masks. The characters worked within one of several stock scenarios, over which they improvised, using the familiarity of the main characters to drive and unify performances. This flexibility allowed troupes to cut performances short if the audience was not responding favorably and, likewise, to continue the narrative if it was popular.