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  A lazzo: Harlequin (T. Martinelli) and Zany Corneto fighting
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Image of T. Martinelli and Z. Cornetto fighting            
    Lazzi (singular: lazzo) are all those items in a comedian's bag of tricks used to get a laugh, fill in a sketchy scene, or just irritate the heck out a fellow comedian all the while keeping the audience entertained. [Duchartre] devotes a chapter to the subject.

[Griffiths, pp. 18-19] distinguishes between a lazzo, a 'funny moment' or gag, and a berle (from which we get the word 'burlesque'), more complex and involved in the plot.

This one might be called the 'ambush the musician' lazzo.


    *berle = 'practical joke,' lazzo = 'smaller piece of comic business' [Oxford: 'Italy,' 'Commedia dell'Arte,' iii.Economy of the Companies (p.401)]

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