Shelae & Damye: A Lashunta Play
~Shameafi Shelaei Damyei~ - The Mirthtale of Shelae and Damye is a farcical comic ~shanvoli~ theatrical play - by the 236th-century playwright Zaras of Son, also known by the alternate title: ~Rie-Zhoe Ihe~ - Two Wicked Wives. It tells of feuding farmwives who destroy their shared farmhold in their efforts to get the better of each other. The play makes heavy use of traditional Lashunta literary and theatrical tropes and sexual slapstick, primarily focusing on the Randy Farmwife, Shrewd Swain, Eager Farmhand, and Bold Maiden. Yet its strong characterization and sophisticated treatment imbue elements of social satire, and even challenge Lashunta social norms. This play provides good examples of common themes in Lashunta Society, including shared telepathic feel and ~Rauzhiafi~ - psychically enhanced birthmight experienced by new mothers.
Characters:
According to the chronicler Taiasine, the mirthtale was first performed by the Aelauma Playgroup at the Motorae prior to the 23,538 Newyear, in honor of newly elected High Matron Azinoe Sheassaue, and reported that the High Matron, who was pregnant at the time, laughed so hard her water broke. As reward, the Aelauma received an honor-name, and Zaras the playwright was made a member of the High Matron’s house. The play was first recorded as performed in Mahyat in 23,643, and in Hanazhyana in 23,705. In both cases, there are mentions of initial objections to the play’s subject as promoting Korasha rebellion to Damaya authority, thus explaining the delays between performances. No known performance date is known for Qabarat, though there are references to the title and plot among Qabarata essayists from the 237th century onward. The plot might have been considered to rustic to merit formal presentation at Qabarat’s major venues and might have been restricted to lower-farthing performances. Since the 238th century, the piece has been recognized as part of the Upper-Strath Canon and a regular staple of Motorae and Heaventide theater. Genre, Tropes, Criticism & Symbology:
Shanvoli had already existed for several centuries, developing as comic dramas using spoken dialog (in contrast to the more classical ~keiahi~ choral epic dramas that are wholly sung and danced) for comic effect between choral performances serving as narrative descriptions. They had originally been performed only during Motorae as crowd-gatherers prior to a more formal performance. As such, they had traditionally relied heavily on comedy featuring a trickster-hero or overbold but naive protagonist, and including archetypes like the Randy Farmwife or Sage-Princess as antagonists, which allowed the populace to poke fun at authority figures. Aspects of farcical sex, including sexual pantomime, sympathetic orgasm (further played for laughs with multiple hasty loincloth changes), exaggerated pregnancy and erection, and on-scene birth, became universal visual gags. The literary period in which Shelae and Damye was first performed marked an evolution in Shanvoli as it became satire conveying social criticism. Many dramatic critics agree that specific details in the character of both farmwives are intended to represent actual personas contemporary to the first performance. One commentator, Lady Saeavaeul of Mahyat, even names them as Lady Darime and Nehue of Son, whom she describes as fellows of High Matron Taiasine who had been forced into a special de-election run-off due to their animosity (a unique feature of matron-republics where the matrons otherwise hold lifetime appointments), in which they engaged in the most ruthless and shameless behaviors to garner support. The play allegedly satirized them down to the level of two uncouth farmwives ridiculously disrupting their farmhold’s livelihood to attack each other. Despite the Motorae tradition of mocking Damaya authority, the play’s portrayal of the two antagonists was considered so embarrassing that much society objected to its performance, thus causing the delays in it being shown in Mahyat and Hanazhyana (Lady Saeavaeul was a proponent and apologist), and despite opinion that several elements in the play seem intended to mollify ladyhood’s sensibilities. Eies of Hanazhyana remarks that, despite Shelae and Damye heading separate hometrees within their farmhold, neither is portrayed as a treesinger, and proposes that this sacerdotal lack was intended to absolve the Damaya Matriarchy of any real social resemblance to the antagonists, since it divorces the characters from the moral authority that vocation might bestow. Both Eies and Theiahe of Qabarat also argue that the character of Meore is intended to redeem the Damaya Matriarchy’s righteousness within the play’s context, since she not only blesses her two fathers’ commitment, but promises to intercede for their commutation and to take over the farmhold. Even with these details, the two farmwives’ outrageousness made too many contemporary ladies uncomfortable. As Lady Sinyeimi of Hanazhyana put it: ~O’soarod-eri tiqa kolamarru,~ - “It stings too near to home/city.” Amid such discourse on the play’s tweaked sensibilities, some more radical critics, notably Lady Vehi and Master Divaes (both of Qabarat) have alleged that, under its thinly veiled comedy lies a satire not of two misbehaved matrons, but an attack on the whole Damaya Matriarchy. As an apologist, Divaes lauded the Korasha’s decision to seek community among themselves in outlawhood and proposed Donas’s and Resh’s love as sacred affirmation of Korasha solidarity, while Lady Vehi beheld the threat of Korasha throwing off Damaya authority and destroying civilization.
- Shelae: a Damaya farmwife heading one of two rival hometrees within the fictional farmhold of Minarieshya (a play on words, formed from ~Mina rie-shei~ - split under wives). Although multiple meanings are attributed to her name, the most commonly accepted is ~Shae-Ilae~ - petty-queen.
- Damye: Shelae’s rival Damaya farmwife heading the other hometree. She bears a longstanding grudge, going back almost fifty years. Her name’s meaning is ‘of pleasure’.
- Donas: Damye’s senior Korasha manmate, but allegedly the father of Shelae’s oldest daughter.
- Resh: Shelae’s senior Korasha manmate, who is officially named as father to Shelae’s oldest daughter.
- Meore: Shelae’s oldest daughter (Damaya), on leave from the militia. Her name’s meaning is ‘pure’.
- Haelantas: a Korasha farmhand and chief victim of the farmwives’ depredations. His name’s meaning is ‘handsome/handy’.
- Rovas & Rodas: two Korasha farmhands belonging to Damye’s house.
- Children’s Chorus, who perform inter-scene narration and double as the two farmwives’ children when split into two groups. A common feature of theatrical plays of this period.
- Korasha Chorus, who perform in-scene narration and double as farmhands under the two farmwives, whose groupings shift back and forth. This is a less common feature from the period’s works and seemingly was selected intentionally for the plot.
According to the chronicler Taiasine, the mirthtale was first performed by the Aelauma Playgroup at the Motorae prior to the 23,538 Newyear, in honor of newly elected High Matron Azinoe Sheassaue, and reported that the High Matron, who was pregnant at the time, laughed so hard her water broke. As reward, the Aelauma received an honor-name, and Zaras the playwright was made a member of the High Matron’s house. The play was first recorded as performed in Mahyat in 23,643, and in Hanazhyana in 23,705. In both cases, there are mentions of initial objections to the play’s subject as promoting Korasha rebellion to Damaya authority, thus explaining the delays between performances. No known performance date is known for Qabarat, though there are references to the title and plot among Qabarata essayists from the 237th century onward. The plot might have been considered to rustic to merit formal presentation at Qabarat’s major venues and might have been restricted to lower-farthing performances. Since the 238th century, the piece has been recognized as part of the Upper-Strath Canon and a regular staple of Motorae and Heaventide theater. Genre, Tropes, Criticism & Symbology:
Shanvoli had already existed for several centuries, developing as comic dramas using spoken dialog (in contrast to the more classical ~keiahi~ choral epic dramas that are wholly sung and danced) for comic effect between choral performances serving as narrative descriptions. They had originally been performed only during Motorae as crowd-gatherers prior to a more formal performance. As such, they had traditionally relied heavily on comedy featuring a trickster-hero or overbold but naive protagonist, and including archetypes like the Randy Farmwife or Sage-Princess as antagonists, which allowed the populace to poke fun at authority figures. Aspects of farcical sex, including sexual pantomime, sympathetic orgasm (further played for laughs with multiple hasty loincloth changes), exaggerated pregnancy and erection, and on-scene birth, became universal visual gags. The literary period in which Shelae and Damye was first performed marked an evolution in Shanvoli as it became satire conveying social criticism. Many dramatic critics agree that specific details in the character of both farmwives are intended to represent actual personas contemporary to the first performance. One commentator, Lady Saeavaeul of Mahyat, even names them as Lady Darime and Nehue of Son, whom she describes as fellows of High Matron Taiasine who had been forced into a special de-election run-off due to their animosity (a unique feature of matron-republics where the matrons otherwise hold lifetime appointments), in which they engaged in the most ruthless and shameless behaviors to garner support. The play allegedly satirized them down to the level of two uncouth farmwives ridiculously disrupting their farmhold’s livelihood to attack each other. Despite the Motorae tradition of mocking Damaya authority, the play’s portrayal of the two antagonists was considered so embarrassing that much society objected to its performance, thus causing the delays in it being shown in Mahyat and Hanazhyana (Lady Saeavaeul was a proponent and apologist), and despite opinion that several elements in the play seem intended to mollify ladyhood’s sensibilities. Eies of Hanazhyana remarks that, despite Shelae and Damye heading separate hometrees within their farmhold, neither is portrayed as a treesinger, and proposes that this sacerdotal lack was intended to absolve the Damaya Matriarchy of any real social resemblance to the antagonists, since it divorces the characters from the moral authority that vocation might bestow. Both Eies and Theiahe of Qabarat also argue that the character of Meore is intended to redeem the Damaya Matriarchy’s righteousness within the play’s context, since she not only blesses her two fathers’ commitment, but promises to intercede for their commutation and to take over the farmhold. Even with these details, the two farmwives’ outrageousness made too many contemporary ladies uncomfortable. As Lady Sinyeimi of Hanazhyana put it: ~O’soarod-eri tiqa kolamarru,~ - “It stings too near to home/city.” Amid such discourse on the play’s tweaked sensibilities, some more radical critics, notably Lady Vehi and Master Divaes (both of Qabarat) have alleged that, under its thinly veiled comedy lies a satire not of two misbehaved matrons, but an attack on the whole Damaya Matriarchy. As an apologist, Divaes lauded the Korasha’s decision to seek community among themselves in outlawhood and proposed Donas’s and Resh’s love as sacred affirmation of Korasha solidarity, while Lady Vehi beheld the threat of Korasha throwing off Damaya authority and destroying civilization.
A farcical comedy by Zaras of Son
Type
Manuscript, Literature
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