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.

Traditions

Anaste has several traditions, especially surrounding the frame story. The play always begins and ends with the same script read by Laslaþá ad latijavlu. Laslaþá ad latijavlu also announces each new performance.

The beginning script is:

Adangli, laþenat e laþmangte! Atego latortes, þo laþenat, ad lanaste ladadera. (Laþmangte bapalavigli.) Ðo bod lalinjatþod ad latortes ad ri. Latortes ad ri bod laþodgo lapeticista, (Laþmangte bicistá) e ri besleta atle ðod psipi. (Laþmangte bapalavi ps-ps-ps.) E, ðev peþodgo eðe, ma bado ad va lanaste! (Laþmangte bapalavigli.) Ri bestar ðev...

Welcome, the monarch and the people! This is the play, for the monarch, of the anaste (old word for year) year. (The audience cheers.) It is the emerald of our theatre. Our theatre is a serious thing, (The audience laughs) and we hope you will be quiet. (The audience says ps-ps-ps, imitating the beginning of the word psipi, or quiet.) And, without further ado (lit. without more things), I present (lit. give) you the anaste! (The audience cheers.) We begin with...

The ending script is:

Other traditions include:

• Supposedly accidental invisibility
• Fake wands that extend into the audience
• A politician forgetting their notes and making an announcement that makes no sense