Italian humour

April 17, 2005 · Filed Under Culture · Comment

Yes, it does exist, as you might expect. But, it’s a little different from the English sense, which is generally a mix of sharp wit tainted with acerbic sarcasm. When I exhibit occasional flashes of this style of humour in class, it is instantly recognised and labeled as ‘English humour’ in a faintly disparaging manner. Still, I persist and always will, I am, after all, basically English.

On the subject of English humour, until a few years ago, the late Benny Hill was regarded as being one very funny guy here in Italy. I could understand why. Italians quite liked comedy which was slapstick and that contained a nice quantity of scantily clad, well endowed young ladies in it. Now, I’m not 100% sure, but I reckon the old Carry-on films would have gone down rather well here. I found the ‘Benny Hill’ style of Italian comedy a bit dull, mainly because I’d seen it all before and this made the gags seem out of date and unsophisticated. It is not really what I would call ‘intelligent humour’ and after seeing the likes of Ben Elton, it seemed a little weak and highly unoriginal. Maybe, it was the language problem, but when those around me, Italians, were howling with laughter, I would be left wondering what was so funny, even when I did manage to understand the joke.

Well, things are changing. A very English style of humour is starting to make its mark. One of the TV programmes responsible for this radical change is a half-hour slot called ‘Camera Cafe’ which is a type of sit-com and it all takes place in front of the coffee machine in a fictitious office. It is a wonderful example of Italians laughing at themselves and makes very good viewing. The characters, whilst not being overly original, are very well observed. There is an autocratic boss, a bolshy union rep, his trusty side-kick who is an appallingly badly dressed and ignorant womaniser of a salesman, then there is a die hard mother’s boy, a rather plain and useless secretary, the office girl-about town, a psychopathic chauffeur, a gun toting security guard, a down trodden single mother, and let’s not forget to mention the scruffy computer tech.

The sketches, which are divided into three or four parts, are sharp and witty and make me laugh as much as some of the best UK comedies do. It is very Italian, as it should be, but it is very good and marks a new era in the sophistication of Italian comedy. This excellent programme is found on one of the Berlusconi family run Mediaset channels and gives me the impression that someone somewhere has watched and appreciated the best of US and UK comedy and this person, or group, was bright enough to give it an Italian angle before bravely serving it up to the sometimes conservative Italian audiences. The only thing that may raise English eyebrows is that some of the subject matter is a wee bit too adult for it’s 7pm slot, but then, Italian kids do not get sent to bed until well after nine, so I guess there was little alternative other than to hope that parents may tell little Giovanni to go off and do his homework, or mess about with the PlayStation in his bedroom for a few hours or so. (Although I doubt that this is done, to be honest.)

There is another late night satirical comedy show which goes by the name of ‘Le Iene’, and is a mix of stand-up comedy and various attempts to expose dodgy Italian characters and bushiness practices, as well as targeting the often farcical goings-on in the wonderful world of Italian bureaucracy. And it just so happens that the comedy duo who accompany the gratuitous leggy, busty, but intelligent, blonde, are the very same two who star in Camera Cafe. They are on a roll, and I hope it continues.

Indeed, these guys would seem to be taking over from the formerly very popular and very good, but also very traditional Italian trio of Aldo, Giovanni and Giacomo. These three do a style of humour which is very Italian; visual and often slapstick with only some wordplay. As I said, they are, for they are still around, very good at what they do, but I’ve a sneaking suspicion that Italian audiences are beginning to move on and that they will become nothing more than an, admittedly rather good, memory.

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Tags: Italian, Italy

Captivating courtyards

April 17, 2005 · Filed Under Italy, Milan · Comment

If you didn't know already, most Italians live in appartment blocks, well, most of those who live in cities and towns do. Now, you do see some of the most incredible facades at times which are real works of art, but what interests me more is what is behind these facades, something which most people don't get to see, unless they live in a particular block, know someone there, or manage to catch a fleeting glimpse one day when someone has left the enormous 'cancelli' open. The 'cancelli' are more often than not huge wooden doors, and many are beautiful in their own right. However, it is what lies behind these structures which is more interesting.

In the centre of Milan, for instance it is not uncommon to see wonderful fountains in the middle of these generally hidden spaces, or some boast well kept gardens, but in some of the older lower quality buildings you will find the most beautiful effect which is created by the flying walkways which run in front of the appartments. These external walkways are accessed by old stone stairways, which are in themselves particularly charming. It is difficult to describe how you feel when you first come across these buildings. This is partly due to the fact that you really don't or rather cannot know they exist from outside the properties, and that, of course, the gates are more often than not closed. You walk in all unaware and then are confronted by this marvelous sight. Often these complexes are in the from of an elongated rectangle, with the two longest sides not that distant from each other, giving you a feeling of intimacy, which seems quite out of place in the middle of a city. As I said before, once these were the houses of the workers and craftsmen. Now, they have become fashionable and now, what are often quite small appartments, command stratospheric prices, well, they do here in Milan, particularly in the old Naviglio or canal area of Milan, where they have been taken over by young professionals and successful arty types. The other types of courtyard here can be no less wonderful and can hide the most amazing sights. There is one near us which is huge and in the middle of it there is even another appartment building, it almost looks as though the builders of the appartments which surround the central building had high hopes for the courtyard, thinking that it would become the central piazza or square of the area in which it was built. In fact, come to think of it, this may well have been the case many years ago when the area had not been full absorbed into the city.

As you may have noticed from reading my scribblings, I often take the train down to Genova, where grandparents live and on the way back, I always pass this fascinating courtyard, only it's not fully enclosed seeing as it backs onto the railway lines. The things that is fascinating for me is that there is a house which has been constructed up against the wall one of the other appartments which encloses this space. Again, this is difficult to describe. It looks almost as if someone sort of glued the house to the wall, or as if the owner, who was looking for somewhere to build him or herself a new house decided that the best thing to do would be to attach it directly to the wall behind. It looks strange because it is the sort of house you would expect to have a large rear garden or that it would back onto farmland or some other such green space. The house itself is quite beautiful, but it does look oddly out of place in its location. You would never know it was there, if it wasn't for the fact that the rear of the main appartment block is exposed to the tracks. This type of 'slotted' in house is not new to me, for there was one in the appartment where we used to live. It had been tucked, somewhat uncomfortably, in a corner and must have been rather dark inside, not to mention narrow.

You can sometimes wonder innocently through the open cancelli on the off-chance of being able to have a quick look at what seems to be an interesting courtyard, but more often than not you will be shooed away by the building's caretaker. The next time you find yourself in Milan, or in Italy because the country is full of charming courtyards, take a peek through the huge wooden gates when they are open and you might well be surprised at what you will see. I do believe that someone one did a photo-book on the subject of the hidden Milan, but I can't find it. Sorry.

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