Latortes ad lanaste

Latortes ad lanaste, often known simply as anaste, is a type of traditional theatre production in Covtle that occurs shortly before the new year. Originally a serious method of informing the monarch of the happenings of the kingdom, it later became a more subversive, satirical and eventually silly art form. An anaste consists of a character representing a Laslaþá ad latijavlu (English: Town crier, lit. town singer) from the period announcing several skits representing the events of the past year, with high amounts of slapstick comedy and satire. The fourth wall is broken frequently, and Laslaþá ad latijavlu is often subject to slapstick from characters within the skits.

History

Latortes ad lanaste originated in Ladadera ad lapegar (English: The Years of Peace) as a method of informing in the monarch of the happenings of the kingdom. While the first few performances were private, its audience included other nobility from the beginning, and it was expanded to becoming a public event in 1180. The tone remained very matter-of-fact and serious during this time.

It was during the 1400s when the more subversive elements began. The Lady Atleva crisis was featured in the play, marking the first time that challenges to the monarch were mentioned in the play. The more comedic elements of the performance began to be emphasised in the 1600s, and the self-exile of King Emtlanðo was ridiculed in the performance.

Performances outside of Glsing became common in the 1700s. These performances emphasised local happenings in their skits, which became traditional by the end of the 1800s, as increased communications technology made the original purpose of the performances obsolete.