Zosia Mamet’s Performance in ‘The Decameron’ Reminds Us to Catch Her in Another Hilarious Period Comedy
Zosia Mamet’s role in The Decameron isn’t her first time nailing the absurdity of a period comedy, as the actor notably guest starred in Apple TV+’s masterful Dickinson. Still, Mamet takes her comedic abilities to new heights in her latest project. Dubbed Netflix’s “new Bridgerton,” The Decameron actually couldn’t be further from Shonda Rhimes’ well-mannered period romance. Instead, the adaptation of Giovanni Boccaccio’s 14th-century collection of short stories aims to be a raunchy comedy set during the 1300s. However, so far the response to the eight-episode medieval black comedy has been mixed.
The history of The Decameron book is just as fascinating as the work’s unique structure. Boccaccio uses a clever framing device to tell his 100 tales, with each short story being told by a group of young men and women who shelter in a secluded villa during the height of the Black Death. The Decameron‘s Black Plague is certainly a key element of the narrative, and the miniseries really leans in to the all-too-familiar pandemic premise. Despite The Decameron‘s cast of comedic greats, the Netflix series struggles to find its groove — unlike the always-funny Mamet.
The Decameron Official Teaser
Zosia Mamet’s Guest Role In Apple TV+’s Dickinson Is Comedy Gold
The Actor Plays “Little Women” Author Louisa May Alcott
One of the best guest stars on Apple TV+’s Dickinson, Zosia Mamet plays novelist Louisa May Alcott, the 19th-century feminist and abolitionist who is best known for writing Little Women. As the title of the series suggests, Dickinson focuses on another famous Massachusetts-based writer from the 1800s: poet Emily Dickinson (Hailee Steinfeld). While Emily didn’t really publish poems during her lifetime, Louisa was a boundary-pushing published author. In the show, Emily grapples with the idea of being known — of giving her poems to an audience outside of her friend-turned-lover Sue (Ella Hunt).
Dickinson ‘s take on Louisa May Alcott — a strange but dedicated workaholic — is comedy gold…
When Mamet’s Louisa May Alcott is introduced to Dickinson‘s cast of characters in season 1, Emily is excited about meeting a fellow woman writer. However, things take something of a turn when Louisa is incredibly odd — and very intense. While Emily is portrayed as someone who needs to write poems in order to exorcise and understand her feelings, Louisa explains over dinner that she’s all about “the hustle.“Dickinson‘s take on Louisa May Alcott — a strange but dedicated workaholic — is comedy gold, thanks in large part to Zosia Mamet’s incredible performance opposite Steinfeld’s equally incredible Emily.
Dickinson Is One Of The Best Period Comedies That Features Modern Elements
Hailee Steinfeld’s Dickinson Helped Usher In A New Genre
Created by Alena Smith, Hailee Steinfeld’s Dickinson is streaming’s most underrated show — even three years after it came to an end. With its anachronistic song choices and sometimes-modern dialogue, the three-season period dramedy was definitely ahead of its time, helping to launch what’s become a massive television trend and comedy sub-genre. While Steinfeld’s Emily and Hunt’s Sue form the emotional core of the series, the stellar ensemble also includes great series regulars, like Anna Baryshnikov (Love Lies Bleeding) and Jane Krakowski (30 Rock), and wonderful guests, like Ziwe (Ziwe) and Ayo Edebiri (The Bear).
How Zosia Mamet’s Dickinson Role Uniquely Prepared Her For The Decameron
Dickinson’s Louisa May Alcott Is Also Delightfully Absurd
Although Zosia Mamet cut her comedy chops in HBO’s Girls, it’s her Dickinson role that really prepared the actor for The Decameron. In the Netflix show, Mamet plays an unmarried noble woman named Pampinea. Considered older, Pampinea is dead-set on marrying the owner of the Tuscan villa at the center of The Decameron. Mamet’s signature delivery, and ability to lean into the unhinged while keeping a straight face, is admirable. That said, for viewers who can’t get enough of Zosia Mamet’s comedic flair, Dickinson is the perfect show to watch while waiting for news about The Decameron season 2.
