Theatre

Come, come you all, ladies and gentlemen, old people and kids, welcome! Welcome to the theater!, The place where you can leave your worldly worries behind and travel to a new and different world, where comedy and laughter delight young and old, where people don't come to cry and feel sorry for the misfortunes of others, but to laugh at them!.

— Beginning of a Comedy written by Philemon of Histria

Theaters in the Oronai and Ikarian worlds

The Role of Theaters

There is no Oronai or Ikarian/Blatian city worthy of that name and status that doesn't have a proper theater. It's one of the main buildings related to entertainment in the settlement of these two sister cultures but also a place where meetings are usually held, either town council meetings or neighbours assemblies and sometimes they are even used as places where commercial transactions are carried out.
In the Oronai world their maintenance and the calendar of theatre competitions are responsability of a commision of 10 members chosen from members of the city council; while in the Ikarian/Blatian world this responsability falls on the city prefect.

Different types of theaters

There are two types of theaters depending on whether they are outdoors or, on the contrary, covered. The outdoors ones are considered as the true theaters . Their façade and the and the stands are usually made of stone, except in the poorest cities where they are usually made of wood. The seats are usually just plain blocks of stone while the seats reserved for the aristocracy, the priests, or the members of the local assembly are more elaborate, resembling thrones and are usually located close to the scenery.
The layout of the theaters is very simple. They have a semi-spherical shape, with a circular area in the middle and then a rectangular platform, which is the stage. The difference between an Oronai theatre and an Ikarian one is that in Oronia the theatres take advantage of the mountainside where the seats are dug out and then covered with stone slabs.
Whereas in Ikaria the mountainsides are not usually used (although there are cases where they are) but the stands and the entire structure of the theatre are made of concrete.

by Jean-Claude Golvin

by Fausto Niccolini

The covered theatres with a roof and four walls, on the other hand, are called Odeons. The structure is the same as the open-air theatres, the seating is semicircular, with a circular area between the seats and the stage where the plays are performed. When there are no performances, some of these buildings function as buildings where the city assembly meets to debate or even as places where speeches or classes are given due to their excellent acoustics. So If there is a play today and unfortunately it is raining, don't worry, the show will probably be moved to the nearest Odeon!.

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Performances

Oronai and Ikarian/Blatian actors usually wear masks while acting. By far the most elaborate and famous are Comedy masks, that represent characters with grotesque features and funny faces. According to many Ikarians, seeing them is enough to make you laugh!. There is no curtain in this type of theatre, so normally a boy is in charge of coming out and telling the audience that the act has ended.
The circular space in the middle is where the chorus is located, sometimes singing and sometimes interacting with the characters themselves, depending on the work. The chorus is only present in tragedies, while in comedy this space can be considered an extension of the stage.
Oronai comedies don't interact with the public, but recently in Blati a new way of doing comedy has been created in which the character can interact with the public sometimes, breaking the 4th wall.

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by Callyxtus

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Theaters in the Seris Empire

The Role of Theaters

As well as in Ikaria and Oronia even the small cities have a local theater. But unlike on the other side of the Sea, here Theaters are not public buildings, they're not built by the local government but are owned by families who are usually dedicated to theatre, and sometimes, not always, it is those families themselves who dedicate themselves to putting on the plays. The profession of actor is passed down through generations, and many actors, especially those in comedies, are some of the most beloved members of their communities.

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Layout of a Seris Theater

by Masanobu Okumura

In Seria theaters are known as "Okkan" a word related to the Ikarian and Oronai word "Odeon"and that is not a coincidance because Seris theatres are always covered, so they bear some resemblance to the odeons found on the other side of the Suris Strait. Although their structure is radically different from the latter. To begin with, Okkans do not have seating per se, but rather the spectators sit on cushions on the floor. Generally they may even have a small table where they can place their drinks. The stage is on a raised platform so that all spectators can see what is being performed.

A distinctive feature of Seris theatres is the so called Flower Path (Amachi is Seris), a walkway which extends into the audience and via which dramatic entrances and exits are made.

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Performances

Seris actors don't wear masks, traditionally they use makeup, for example in order to tell who is the villain and who are the "good guys", who is the "clown" or the "funny" characters in the story. They only wear masks when they play the role of some deities or mythological animals. Their clothes are very exaggerated to increase the laughter and humor. This is not the case when it comes to tragic representations.
Like Oronai comedies, Seris comedies don't interact with the public but as a character onced said in the introduction of a Seris Comedy "Applauses and laughter are always welcome at anytime".
Seris theaters also have music, but here the choir of singers and musicians usually appears camouflaged behind the stage, because they are not considered as a key part of what it is happening on stage and may distract the audience's attention.

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by Callyxtus

Genres,Recurrent Themes and Stories

Tragedy is a very popular genre, but the most popular genre on both sides of the Suris Strait is undoubtedly comedy. People go to the theatre to relax, have a laugh and forget about their problems.

Something familiar, something peculiar, something for everyone, a comedy tonight!!

Most stories are parodies of the society, the nobility or even neighbouring nations, love stories with some tragic and a lot of funny moments, cunning serfs or slaves trying to fool their masters, even some myths are twisted to add some comic background.

by Naples National Archaeological Museum

Religious connotations

Although this are places for joy and fun, there is a religious element in them. In the circular space in the middle of the Ikarian and Oronai theaters there is an altar where a libation or a sacrifice is made in honour of the gods, particularly of the god Belinos, god of laughter and fun, before the play begins.
In Seria it seems it also had a religious connonation in the beginning, also related to the god Bilin (Belinos) but also related to the cult of the ancestors. But nowadays all connection with the gods or religion has disappeared, and the theatre has become a mere spectacle.