Final answer:
Contemporary office settings can be refashioned into Commedia-type scenarios, with witty employees representing 'zanni' characters.
Step-by-step explanation:
Aspects of contemporary society that might lend themselves to a Commedia-type scenario or short play could include the dynamics of corporate offices, with the 'zanni' characters represented by witty employees navigating the quirks and blunders of their superiors and coworkers. Such a setting could create modern-day Lazzi, where improvisational scenarios might involve office pranks, malfunctioning technology, and humorous misunderstandings reflective of today's workplace. A good example of a modern-day Lazzi might be a scene where an employee conspires to avoid a video conference call with tech-savvy tactics, only to be hilariously foiled by unexpected technological mishaps.
Commedia dell'arte's influence extends broadly, from its introduction in Italy during the 16th century to its current adaptations, maintaining the structured freedom that combines recognizable characters with contemporary society's peculiarities to reflect and satirize the world we live in. Characters such as the boastful 'Capitano' might be likened to the braggart manager, while the cunning 'zanni' could be seen in the shrewd intern or assistant, all part of the comedy of character's rich tradition.