The Tragedy of Chrononhotonthologos

March 7, 2014 1:19 PM

SCENE I.
An Anti-Chamber in the Palace.
Enter RIGDUM-FUNNIDOS and ALDIBORONTIPHOSCOPHORNIO, courtiers.

Rigdum-Funnidos: Aldiborontiphoscophornio!
Where left you Chrononhotonthologos?

First staged in 1734 by the satirist Henry Carey, Chrononhotonthologos ("The Most Tragical Tragedy That Ever Was Tragedized By Any Company Of Tragedians") is the tragic story of the angry king Chrononhotonthologos, his even angrier general, his groveling courtiers, his disaffected queen, and his titanic war with the invert Antipodeans. Any echoes of the Torey-Whig rivalry or the careers of King George II, Queen Caroline, and Robert Walpole are purely coincidental, or in any event not crucial to the plot.

posted by Iridic (12 comments total)

Metafilter:

Giants and giantesses, dwarfs and pigmies,
Songs, dances, music in its amplest order,
Mimes, pantomimes, and all the magic motion
Of scene deceptiovisive and sublime.

Seriously, though, this is...amazing? Yes, amazing.
posted by jquinby at 1:27 PM on March 7, 2014 [1 favorite]

Metafilter Life:

Tis meant to please; but, if it should offend,
It's very short, and soon will have an end.
posted by moonmilk at 1:38 PM on March 7, 2014 [1 favorite]

Here's a scene acted out. SLYT

I can find no mention of any recent fully staged productions.
posted by beagle at 1:58 PM on March 7, 2014 [2 favorites]

The Most Tragical Tragedy That Wver Was Tragedized By Any Company Of Tragedians

This particular kind of wordplay sounds distinctly modern to my ear, but I guess my ear is miscalibrated.
posted by clockzero at 2:19 PM on March 7, 2014 [1 favorite]

NO MASK? NO MASK? &c
posted by Potomac Avenue at 2:19 PM on March 7, 2014 [3 favorites]

Reminds me of this recently posted image on the Houghton Library's Tumblr. It took me a good five minutes to figure out what it was referring to.

Spoiler:It's William Pitt
posted by benito.strauss at 2:21 PM on March 7, 2014 [4 favorites]

Prisencolinensinainciusol.
posted by jet_silver at 2:32 PM on March 7, 2014 [3 favorites]

Pedant: How do you keep your Anti-Chamber from annihilating your Chamber? Is there a special architectural substance you can use as a shield?
posted by Hactar at 3:08 PM on March 7, 2014 [2 favorites]

it is known only as the Black Cube
posted by LogicalDash at 3:10 PM on March 7, 2014 [2 favorites]

Heh, I looked this up a while back when Lord Peter Wimsey mentioned it, in "Murder Must Advertise" I think. I look forward to reading it!
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 4:01 PM on March 7, 2014 [1 favorite]

This particular kind of wordplay sounds distinctly modern to my ear, but I guess my ear is miscalibrated.

Maybe not ...
posted by ZenMasterThis at 5:16 PM on March 7, 2014

In his house at R'lyeh, dead Chrononhotonthologos waits dreaming.
posted by uosuaq at 6:35 PM on March 7, 2014 [3 favorites]