In this article, we aim to explore the numerous theatrical critiques offered by the existentialist philosopher and playwright Gabriel Marcel regarding
the Parisian presentations of the dramatic works of Luigi Pirandello, with particular focus on Six Characters in Search of an Author. Our endeavour is to mention some commonalities and disparities between Marcel’s perspective and that of
Pirandello. Among the shared themes are the nuanced differentiation between the
incarnate corporeity of the character and the material one of the actor, the awareness of the tragic essence of existence and the recognition of a certain degree of
autonomy among the characters, not only towards the actors who interpret them,
but also towards the author who originally conceived them. Conversely, some distinctions between the two perspectives also emerge, particularly concerning the
character’s form, the role of the actor and that of the mask.