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WHAT ARE «ASTOLASTERRAK» «Astolasterrak», «tobera-mostra», «charivari», «cencerrada», «esquellotada», etc., these are only the different names by which these theatrical farces of ancient origen are known, being their aim to procure a good time, taking as pretext the morality of «unusual marriages». When a married couple gave a bad example, or, when a widower tried to get married for a second time, would suffer a representation, which took place in the public square, of a parody of a trial which was preceded by a cowbell concert, horns, caccerols, and other instruments that would tune in with the infernal concerto. Owing to the carefree and rude language characteristic of these short plays, and to the habit which forbade to keep any copies, under the penalty to be exposed and the danger of bloody revenges, the texts are very difficult to find. Nevertheless, they have a singular interest, for, we can find in them features which are peculiar of the Basque Country, above all, of Le Soule area, refering to their habits of marriages, coloquial expressions, proverbs, etc., which reflect, with great fidelity, a rural world anchored in the Middle Ages. |
