M A S K p o e t i c a
Contemporary Commedia dell’Arte
directed by Carlos García Estévez
VISIT OUR UPCOMING OPEN LABORATORY
8-10 October 2025 in Amsterdam
Jacques Lecoq to Carlos: 18 December 1998
(École Jacques Lecoq, Paris)
“Could you seek the tragic depth that exists in Commedia dell’Arte?
Without this tragic dimension, Commedia dell’Arte cannot exist.
Go and find it!”
Jacques Lecoq
Inspired by this provocation, in 1999, began a lifelong journey in search of the tragic human dimension that lies within us all—guided by the powerful, transformative force of the Mask, an extraordinary connector between worlds. I have dedicated my career to searching for a Contemporary Commedia dell’Arte.
I called it: MaskPoetica.
MaskPoetica:
Contemporary Commedia dell’Arte
For us / Manifesto Poetico, the guiding path is the one that connects with the essence where the spirit of life’s celebration resides. Commedia dell’Arte is the manifestation of that spirit. And underpinning this is a central theme in human existence: the tension between life and death. The space where we connect with our dreams, intuitions and ourselves.
The mask is a portal that helps us to go beyond the past and the future. It keeps us in the here and now, providing a unique occasion to connect with the pure state of our emotions.
The mask is an invitation to contemplate, from another state of consciousness, a new basis of storytelling and emotional communication.
MaskPoetica: Contemporary Commedia dell’Arte
Open Laboratories approach elements such as:
The spirit of play and celebration
The Architecture of Gestures (*see below)
Mask. Structure at the service of metamorphosis
Mask and its abstraction. Inner Structure
Improvisation
Movement Technique
Musicality. Timing. Space
Interaction and direct contact with the audience.
Sensorial Journey. Emotion & Counter-emotion
The Triad of Passage: form, transform, perform
Directional Symbology. Movement & Counter-movement
Everyday stories through human passions
MaskPoetica: Contemporary Commedia dell’Arte laboratories are open for professional actors, dancers and performers, as well as those working in related fields such as film-makers, architects, writers, and others. In our laboratories participants are engage in a deep study of the mask dimension in contemporary theatre.
The elements and content of each Open Laboratory will be selected and proposed depending on the state of the research that Manifesto Poetico is conducting during that season.
Carlos also offers and designs MaskPoetica Workshops for non-performers and non-artists, for those who would like to explore the mask, themselves, and their stories.
Fundamental to the MaskPoetica is what Carlos calls the Architecture of Gestures.
ARCHITECTURE OF GESTURES
Architecture of Gestures is a foundational concept that interlaces physical expression, spatial awareness, and dramaturgical structure to create a unique theatrical language through the use of the mask and the space surrounding it.
This approach is deeply rooted in Carlos’ extensive research and practice in movement, mask performance, and dramatic tension. Central to this approach is the mask and the space it inhabits, transforming performance into a dynamic interplay of movement and meaning.
Carlos’ exploration of the Architecture of Gestures began in 1998, influenced by his studies with french pedagogue Jacques Lecoq. Carlos’s collaboration with theItalian mask sculptor Donato Sartori further deepened his understanding, leading to a comprehensive study of the Anthropology of the Mask and the Structural Dynamics of Gesture.
Our mask work has its origin in Carlos García Estévez's more than 25 years of theatrical research into acting with masks and the tragic depth that exists in comedy.
“We know that, from the moment of birth, we are going to die.
We are conscious of our destiny. We exist within a tragic dimension.”
This years-long research is based on the study of popular tradition, physical and scenic movement, socio-cultural studies, and artistic experiences in each of the five continents.
CONTACT US
If you are interested in incorporating MaskPoetica into the work of your institution or organization.
If you would like to learn more about the practice or have questions regarding the process.
If you want arrange a conversation with Carlos García Estévez to gain greater insights into the research.
If you would like to organize a MaskPoetica Laboratory for your group.
