Drama in the Digital Domain: Commedia dell'Arte, Characterisation, Collaboration and Computers

The article discusses how Commedia dell'Arte (CdA) may be used as a design metaphor for Multi-user Virtual World (MVW). The introduction gives an overview of the beginning ideas and the general findings of the research, as well as connects CdA and MVW with other forms of improvisational and masked performance. An explanatory introduction to CdA is followed by examples on the possibilities of transforming practices and ideas from CdA characters, properties, staging, scenarios, themes and improvisations to MVW.