Italian

Here are some lazzi for Passover. But first ... what are lazzi?

Lazzi were comic routines developed as part of the 16th century Italian tradition of commedia dell’arte. Commedia dell’arte was an improvised comedic theatrical tradition in which archetypical characters played out simple storylines; it was influential throughout Western Europe, particularly influential to Shakespearean theater. Shakespeare's comic servants are direct descendants of Arlecchino from commedia. Lazzi were short comedic bits which could be inserted into any commedia play.

For example, the lazzo of losing keys (singular lazzo; plural lazzi) has a character looking for their keys in more and more absurd places, looking inside other character’s pockets or mouths. The lazzo of the false mirror involves two characters mistaking each other for their own reflection as they coincidentally move in unison. (See Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin in Big Business.) The lazzo of fainting might have a character repeatedly fainting in more and more dramatic fashion until Arlecchino, the clown servant, announces he will “wake them with the magic water from my rod!” That is, he will pee on them. They immediately wake up before he can even unbutton his trousers.

Here are some lazzi for our seder. Feel free to invent your own.

Lazzo of fart noises

Make a fart noise with your mouth or otherwise. Do this surreptitiously and then look at someone sitting near you as if they have rudely passed gas. This is particularly good if it happens when someone is speaking at length about something religious. If somone accuses you of passing gas, always apologize sincerely.

Go around the table and one by one each person show off your skill at surreptitiously making a fart noise. Avoid spitting on the food if possible. Inedible food is never funny!

Lazzo of stealing food

The person leading the seder must announce that it is traditional to wait until after the ceremonial reading is complete before eating. However the dining table is covered with various dishes. Whenever the person leading the seder looks down to read, try to steal food and eat it, and whenever the leader looks up, hide your crimes. This ruse can become more elaborate during long readings as people hide their plates in their laps and fill them with food, or work together in order to pass food around the table.

Toward the end of the ceremonial reading, one by one everyone makes excuses for why they need to leave the table until they have all gathered in the kitchen, eating the entire meal.

Lazzo of bad manners

This lazzo is particularly effective if it is used more and more the longer the seder goes on, or whenever someone speaks at length. Simply put, the guests behave with bad manners at the dinner table. Be creative!

Some suggestions:

Sleeping at the table

Making noise with cutlery

Leaving abruptly without explanation

Singing softly to yourself while someone else is speaking

Whispering to a neighbor and laughing loudly while someone else is speaking

Always be very apologetic whenever someone draws attention to your bad behavior, but later go back to your old ways.

Lazzo of the personal anecdote

When something comes up during the seder that sparks a personal anecdote, begin telling the story at length and in detail. The longer the story goes on, the more everyone else at the table starts doing all the other three lazzi. Can also work for long-winded religious explanations.

Start slow and build up as the story becomes more long-winded. Storyteller can become irate or begin to cry when they realize no one is listening. Everyone is very apologetic but then keep doing all the same bad behavior.

Matzoh Lazzo

This isn’t a real thing but it sounds good. Shout it out at random moments to express appreciation, despair or an urgent need to get on with the seder. Matzoh Lazzo!