Śalwadan ápjapwa

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Śalwadan ápjapwa (Sortjecjan pronunciation: [ʃalwadan a:pʲapwa], feud of group) was an early form of professional theatre originating from Sorteic that was popular in parts of Ekuosia from the 17th through to the early 19th Centuries. Śalwadan ápjapwa, otherwise known as hajexár theatre, śalwadanár, or sometimes just śalwadan, is a form of theatre characterised by the combination of traditional theatre and musical motifs representing a number of archetypal characters, as well as colourful gowns for each character type. Each character archetype is represented by their relation to the other archetypes rather than their particular traits, which change from play to play. Many famous plays in śalwadan ápjapwa begin as improvisations around the archetypes. Śalwadan ápjapwa plays are often comedic in nature, revolving around exaggerated misadventures of the archetypes and often involve what would be considered 'over-acting' in other forms of theatre, both in terms of movement and voice.

Śalwadan ápjapwa has its origins in the lower classes, as villages would host individual troupes, many of whom would perform a single play for months or even years on end as they travelled from village to village and city to city. Most of the performers were villagers who had been talent-spotted by troupes. As such, much of the comedy was low-brow and considered vulgar by some within the higher echelons of society in Sorteic. The performers would often write their own work or base performances on the work of other troupes. They were kept afloat by donations of food and money, generously given by many of the people they performed for. The archetypes represented in śalwadan ápjapwa often mirror the perspective of the peasantry in Sorteic, including in the treatment of foreigners, nobles and labourers.

Today, śalwadan ápjapwa is one of the most recognised forms of theatre in Sorteic, and remains extremely popular. While its appeal has largely remained high, the ethos around it has changed greatly since its early days. Many troupes now perform plays that have a history going back hundreds of years rather than writing their own material. Moreover, many śalwadan ápjapwa plays are performed entirely by celebrities and in theatres. Though traditionally, plays are performed in Sortjecjan, Utolian or Terminian, though in recent times, plays have been performed in languages as diverse as Lestzi, Algaz and others.

History

Sortjecjan folk stories have been retold for many centuries, many of which have no known origin. The formulaic nature of these stories led to a certain predictability of storytelling, but for much of the population, the retelling of these folk stories, often by village elders and with the assistance of other members of the community. Though there is little way to discern how closely related these folk retellings of Sortjecjan folk tales were to the modern traditions of śalwadan ápjapwa, given how much borrowing of style and characteristics there has been both ways, it is likely that the first śalwadan ápjapwa performers were performing in a style similar to that of the folk tales.

The earliest recorded example of śalwadan ápjapwa comes from a village report in Thereles Canton in 1614, noting that the troupe was "ragged, unshaven and smelling of hay", reinforcing the idea that śalwadan ápjapwa was a purely lower-class invention for many years before gaining wider appeal. Numerous troupes gained widespread appeal, such as Śahram Ápjapwa, which spent most of the year travelling through the densely packed villages of Śahdanśa.

Character archetypes

Lehgahár

Lehgahár, or 'landsmen', are the peasant characters within śalwadan ápjapwa plays. The character archetypes are extremely varied, with lehgahár taking up the roles of protagonists, the occasional antagonist, and many other roles. Given the largely lower-class origins of śalwadan ápjapwa, it is unsurprising that the lower classes are so over-represented in their plays. Often, these archetypes are mixed to create more multi-faceted archetypes.

Myár

The myár is the archetype of the everyman in Sortein society. While it originally was a term meaning 'the protagonist', it evolved over time to refer to anyone of upright character, many skills and general likability. Generally, the myár is a freeman who works for himself, either on a farm or in some other independent vocation, and yet is hounded by other characters who are altogether less likeable. Generally, the struggles of the myár would be identifiable to most peasants in the time of śalwadan ápjapwa. The myár really wants to win the heart of the ahánár. The myár wears red clothes, and is often seen carrying the tools of his trade. His motif music, if he has any, is upbeat and regular, the best of which being easy to identify. The myár is usually played by a male.

Arár

The arár is usually the friend of the myár with a much more wily and clever personality. He dislikes the authority of the hajex́wár, hates the pompous and arrogant manner of the lehákár, is usually very opinionated and loud, and enjoys playing mind games with the lehohwár. The arár is almost always played for laughs within plays, and is traditionally the character who bids the visitors farewell at the end of the show. Generally, the arár is larger than life, and has problems that are similar to those of peasants of the era, but usually far more exaggerated, though sometimes the arár is simply carefree enough to only joke with the myár for his problems. The arár wears green clothes. His motif music is usually upbeat and exaggerated. The arár can be male or female.

Lehohwár

The lehohwár is usually another friend of the myár, but is generally the more dim-witted of the two friends of the myár. He tends to go along with whatever the group decides, and has a habit of changing his mind, often also played for laughs. He outwardly seems to like both the myár and the arár, but is usually secretly jealous of the myár and resentful of the arár. Often, however, it is the lehohwár that comes up with a solution for whatever problem the myár has. He usually wears brown clothes. His motif is bombastic and often has a fairly staggered tempo. The lehohwár can be male or female.

Ahánár

The ahánár is a female character, usually a maiden of some kind, who the myár falls in love with. She is kind and gentle, though often quite naive, and the myár makes it his aim to win her heart. She is often quite disapproving of the arár, but will not utter a bad word about any character. She wears a red dress to mirror that worn by the myár. Her motif is fluttery and light. While she is almost always played by a woman, there have been some isolated cases of being played by a man, either for laughs or as an attempt at redefining śalwadan ápjapwa style. Note that some ahánár have been upper class, often born to the harohwár, but are usually considered part of the lehgahár thanks to their close interaction with and affinity for the lower classes.

Rumár

The rumár is a character who is usually female and middle-aged, with a much more coarse mouth than the ahánár. Usually, the ahánár and rumár have known each other for a long time, and the rumár will assist the myár in winning the ahánár’s heart. Though not always a fixture in these plays, the rumár sometimes falls in love with the arár, and in these stories, often appears after the play with the arár to bid the audience farewell. She usually wears a stained white dress, and is often fat. Her motif is slow and almost drunk. She is almost always played by a woman.

Ruźannéh

The ruźannéh is cruel and mean, though often cowardly and bitter too. He is the bitter opponent of the myár and his friends. Often willing to admit his lust for power, the ruźannéh often wishes he could be on par with the hajex́wár of the story. The ruźannéh almost always is defeated in the end, and is often heckled while on stage. He wears an orange cloak, a colour of treachery in Sortjecjan culture, and his motif is slow and meandering, never quite evil, but certainly with malicious intent. The ruźannéh can be male or female, though female ruźannéh usually have a seductive side to them in addition to their other traits.

Danár

The danár is an older man. He is wise and clever, but often cryptic and difficult to understand. He is not up to the shenanigans of the younger characters. He tends to find the arár bothersome, and the lehohwár tiresome, but finds time for the myár. The danár is almost always serious, with the laughs being played with the other characters' reactions to the danár’s advice. The danár wears a grey cloak, and often has no motif, adding to the mystery of the character. The danár is usually played by a male, though the archetype has been seen in some examples of the female loprudanár.

Śalwár

The śalwár is a military man, equivalent to a policeman or a soldier. He is straightforward and legalistic, often blaming the myár for the transgressions of the arár or ruźannéh, though often, through their cunning, he becomes an unwitting accomplice in their plans and schemes. He wears an old military uniform, a piece of kit that is easy to find in 17th Century Sorteic, and has a martial motif. The śalwár is usually played by a male.

Lehákár

The lehákár is a character who is often considered stupid, arrogant and rude, though is not a hajex́wár. The lehákár thinks of themselves as much higher than the other lehgahár, and has no issue saying as much. The lehákár loves the hajex́wár, and attempts to impress them whenever possible. The arár, as such, absolutely hates him, and often makes his main aim to ruin the lehákár’s plans. Sometimes, the lehgahár is used as a sidekick to one of the more cruel hajex́wár. He usually wears tattered rich clothes, often in purple, and has a bombastic but often underwhelming motif, usually involving instruments designed to sound broken. The lehákár is usually played by a male.

Loprudanár

The loprudanár is a witch or crone. Generally considered untrustworthy and cunning, she uses magic to further her own aims, but sometimes this does work out in the myár’s favour. She is very often accompanied by a pet of some kind, usually a domesticated bird, called the loprulehih, and has very few laughs. Her motif is slow and menacing, even when aiding the protagonist. She usually wears black robes, and is played most often by a woman.

Hémmár

The hémmár is a priestly character. Usually affable enough, he is often introduced to deliver a moral message or to officiate on the myár’s wedding to the ahánár. Sometimes in more scandalous performances (usually performed in secret or by anonymous troupes), the hémmár is a heavily flawed character with many vices and a general fecklessness for the world at large. He tends not to have a motif, but always wears priestly attire. He is always played by a man.

Hajex́wár

Hajex́wár, or 'rich men', represent the upper classes within śalwadan ápjapwa plays. While these character archetypes are still very varied, numerous traits are mirrored throughout the roles including a certain sense of arrogance, nobility, conceitedness and disdain. Hajex́wár tend to be played by men.

Źannéh

The źanneh is a kindly hajex́wár character. Often rather oblivious to the goings on of the peasantry, he does attempt to understand, though often becomes flustered and has to sit down. Very often, the źanneh will end up assisting the myár. They are generally seen as bumbling idiots, but with a heart of gold. The Źannéh almost always wears rich clothes and lots of jewellery, and his obliviousness (including wearing lots of expensive clothes) is often played for laughs. His motif tends to be regal, but short.

Árwexu

The árwexu is very often a cruel or legalistic ruler of a place. Whenever they interact with the myár, the árwexu tends not to have much to say to him, and that which he does say is arrogant and pompous. He is, like the źanneh, oblivious to the struggles of the lehgahár, though this is played less for laughs and more for the presenting of a problem for the myár. His motif tends to be regal, but also very threatening, and he wears expensive clothing.

Harohwár

The harohwár is a rich old man. He is considered to be the most humorous of the hajex́wár, as his character is usually a fussy and perfectionistic man plagued by ailing health and uncooperative relatives, often of the árwexu variety. While the ahánár is usually a member of the lehgahár, sometimes they are portrayed as the daughter of the harohwár, with a love triangle being played between the árwexu, ahánár and myár. He is almost always red-faced and flustered. He often wears scarlet clothes, just darker than the myár’s. His motif is often very fast-paced.

Hannahár

Hannahár, or 'far men', represent foreigners within śalwadan ápjapwa plays. Generally, simple archetypes for commonly seen nationalities exist, with the Sortjecjan views of these nationalities being represented in śalwadan ápjapwa. Note that most hannahár are one dimensional, almost always played by men, and are often seen fraternising with the hajex́wár, acted with the actor's best (or worst) faux accent.

Termár

The termár is perhaps the best developed of the hannahár. He is a lordly man, who is both mysterious and self-entitled, lording over all of the lehgahár despite not being their ruler in reality. As such, he has a bit of a distaste for the árwexu, and thus will often help the myár in order to annoy the árwexu. However, the fact remains that most termár are seen as pompous and conceited. Termár are based on Terminian dignitaries, and are usually seen wearing red and green.

Lecatár

The lecatár is a dignitary from Letzia, usually very pompous and disinterested. He despises the termár, though couldn't care less for most of the hajex́wár, despite their fraternisation. They almost always wear yellow and have no motifs.

Tedunár

The tedunár is seen as the noble savage of the śalwadan ápjapwa, and as such is very often cut out from modern renditions of these plays. They have very few speaking roles and are usually just seen as incidental characters. Despite most Tienndu wearing quite advanced clothing that they wore on the day to day, the tedunár is almost always nearly naked.

Music

Subjects