Harlequinade Harlequinade Harlequinade is a British comic theatrical genre, defined by the "Oxford English Dictionary" as "that part of a pantomime in which the harlequin and clown play the principal parts". It developed in England between the 17th and mid-19th centuries. It was originally a slapstick adaptation or variant of the Commedia dell'arte, which originated in Italy and reached its apogee there in the 16th and 17th centuries. The story of the Harlequinade revolves around a comic incident in the lives of its five main characters: Harlequin, who loves Columbine; Columbine's greedy and foolish father Pantaloon (evolved from the character Pantalone),
Dandini (character) swap. Dandini (character) Dandini is a character in the opera "La Cenerentola" by Rossini and also in the "Cinderella" pantomime. He is the male servant of the Prince (the principal male character: Don Ramiro in the opera, commonly Prince Charming in the pantomime). Dandini helps the Prince to meet the principal female character (known as Angelina or Cinderella) without her knowing that he is a prince. Dandini pretends to be the prince and the real prince pretends to be his servant. In panto it is often played by a young woman, who dresses similarly to the Principal boy for the