Emotions, team work, trials |
| Designer: Muriel Algayres (FR) |
| Number of participants: 6–8 |
| Duration: 3 hours |
| Genre/style: Nordic-style black box surrealism |
| The presenter feels that this larp IS suitable for young people aged 16+
PREMIER – this larp’s first appearance at a festival |
About the larp
“Me” lies in a coma after an accident. No memories remain of the accident, only shattered fragments of his personality. What remains are only his raw emotions trying, as a team, to make sense of the reason why they are struck between limbo and the other side, and to learn to work better together. They will need, in the end, to answer together the most fundamental questions of all: whether to keep on living, or just give up?
Between limbo and the veil is an experiential design where participants will play different fundamental emotions of “Me” while he lies in the coma, but will also take turn playing “Me” as his conscience is confronted by all these diverse emotions. All the while they will wander the mental space of “Me’s” conscience – symbolized by a black box space – to try and make sense of his past history, and decide whether it is worth fighting to keep on living, or if Me should just be allowed to die.
Between limbo and the veil is meant to be a surrealistic experience questioning the human condition, the expression of inner emotions, and the creation of identity and personality. The tone will be generally serious and straightforward, with a little whimsical tone as the emotions, as characters, struggle to learn to cope with the situation and work with each other.
Inspired by the concept album “the Human equation” by Ayreon, and the movie Inside Out if it were transplanted in a more adult setting.
Content Warnings: Domestic violence, bullying.
Presented by
Muriel Algayres (FR): Muriel Algayres is a larp designer from France, focusing on historically-inspired romanesque narratives and edu-larps. She is also a larp theorist and researcher, focusing on gender representation, safety and proper use in education. She has recently written and produced Harem Son Saat in France and the Czech Republic, and was a character writer for Sparks of History larps Suffragette! and Fairweather Manor.
Parameters
| Communication style | Lots of speech |
| Movement style | Walking |
| Tone | Moderate |
| Characters | Players play facets of a personality, or something else that is human but less than a full character |
| Narrative control | Players have some influence over story, but there is basically a script or structure that they’re within |
| Transparency | Fully transparent – players will, or at least can, know absolutely everything in advance |
| Representation level | Scenery and props will be used to make the play space look something like the fictional space |
| Play culture | Players are collaborating to achieve joint aims |
The Smoke 