Puppeteering was a favorite among Chelseannans, with puppet shows being an artform unto itself. This form of entertainment was called 'Commedia' (comedy) and was based on a series of recurring characters rooted in folklore, that usually reflected the Chelseannan outlook on life and society. Commedia was not a deep or serious genre at first sight, though it could be very revealing of the island's history, traditions and values. The plots were usually very simple and often largely improvised with only a rough sketch to go by, their entertainment value coming from the gags and slapstick humor, as well as the quirky nature of the characters. Shows usually featured puppet brawls, with some characters being regularly knocked out, much to the audience's delight.
Golden Heart Puppets was the only certified puppet store on the island, having monopoly over the trade. The building rested in the Plata, away from the docks since it was believed that proximity to the water could ruin the wood of which the puppets were made. It was a quiet little workshop, filled to the brim with puppets, both the hand variety and string-controlled marionettes, the latter of which made up the majority of the items. There were also a few puppets able to move and walk on their own and perform some simple actions - usually, those involved mock-brawls with another similar puppet, with one punching the other and then taking a punch in turn.
Aris Floropoulos, the owner and craftsman, had a reputation for being a conspiracy theorist who saw dark schemes and ominous events beyond every corner. His family had ancient Olympian blood, one of the few remaining ones. He had receding black hair and a slim built speaking of somewhat weak health, but his black eyes were always open and attentive.
"Serale and welcome to Golden Heart Puppets!" he would exclaim when someone entered his workshop.
Quote:
Main characters of Chelseannan Commedia:
Raldo. Raldo is the symbol of commedia and appears in virtually every play. Perpetually broke, Raldo tries to make money by inventing new scams and tricks that regularly backfire on him. Looking like a big-nosed caricature of the average Chelseannan, Raldo is recognizeable because of his very oversized clothes. He also carries a (broken) rapier that he never seems to manage to get fixed.
Pagolo. Raldo's often unwilling partner-in-crime, Pagolo would be a pretty quiet guy but is constantly dragged into trouble by his friend. Pagolo is very unlucky and usually gets the short end of the stick, being blamed for everything, by everyone. Taller than Raldo and wearing mainlander clothes.
Tondo. It is implied that Tondo is the Podesta of commedia's fictional world. He is rich and brags about it in everyone's face, being extremely rude and vulgar, though he is actually a miser. He thinks himself smart but is ignorant as a goat, and easily fooled. A stocky, burly character with a moustache.
Ninetta. The primary female character of commedia, Ninetta is the object of desire of every male character. She loves money and can usually be seen at Tondo's side as his sort-of-girlfriend, though she is very manipulative and will tease and flirt with characters depending on the situation. She is often overly dramatic and has a tendency to faint to get out of trouble. Ninetta has beautiful black locks.
Oboldo. Oboldo is a skinny boy with dark bags under his eyes. He is eternally hungry and can be bribed to do anything for food. Sometimes, he is the one concocting plans to scrounge food off other characters.
Baraglia. An ugly woman in love with Raldo, Baraglia wears exaggerated makeup and thinks herself attractive, but everyone tends to run away from her. She has a bad temper (and superhuman strength) and often resorts to smacking people around. 'Baraglia' is the worst insult you can say to a Chelseannan woman.
Ruverio. Ruverio is a senile old man who constantly speaks funny nonsense, usually in the form of Mage-babble or techno-babble. Tends to randomly roll on the floor, only to stand up and keep talking as if nothing had happened.
Svetonio. An arrogant fencer/violinist with a plumed hat (regularly hiding some object, ranging from a flower to a potion), Svetonio is on a quest to conquer Ninetta's heart, failing miserably. He bullies the weaker characters, but is terrorized by Baraglia. He tries to be witty but typically only ridicules himself.
Caccira. Tondo's middle-aged servant, she is the local rumor mill and gossip mistress. Telling Caccira means telling the world and beyond, though stories tend to acquire new details every time she tells them, leading to painful misunderstandings.
|
Linear Mode
