About the work
Carlo Goldoni wrote the comedy in 1745 for the actor Antonio Sacco, who improvised the servant Truffaldino on stage; only in 1753 did Goldoni publish the fully written-out text. The play was one of his early attempts to combine traditional commedia dell'arte with firmly scripted scenes.
Plot
The resourceful servant Truffaldino secretly takes work from two masters at once: Beatrice, disguised as her dead brother, and her lover Florindo, who killed that brother in a duel. To please both without either finding out, he must juggle errands, letters and meals — until the mix-ups, tangled with Clarice's broken engagement, resolve in a chaotic finale.
Cultural significance
The role of Truffaldino is considered one of the most demanding in comic theatre. Giorgio Strehler's production at Milan's Piccolo Teatro brought the play international fame from 1947 onward, with Ferruccio Soleri playing the title role for decades and setting a Guinness World Record for it.