Motherhood, identity, change |
| Designers: Laura Wood, Ruth Trenery-Leach (UK) (with additional input from Maria Makarova and Jonathan Goldsmith) |
| Number of participants: 4–6 |
| Duration: 3 hours |
| Genre/style: Nordic-influenced, realistic |
| 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
The larp aims to portray a realistic view of becoming a first time mother. It explores the difficulties and challenges of adapting to the responsibilities of parenthood, as well as the joys.
A group of women meet at an antenatal class a couple of months before the birth of their first child. The women become friends and support each other through the ups and downs of the next few years. Change and identity, are two of the larp’s central themes , as the characters struggle with their changing priorities and relationships, and the ‘loss of their old lives’. The larp explores issues such as loneliness and isolation, gender roles, and discrimination. It also explores mutual support and friendship.
Players will play through four scenes, staggered over 5 years in the lives of the women. The character roles are all female but the larp may be played by people of any gender or none.
Content Warnings: Pregnancy, childbirth, mental health issues.
Presented by
Ruth Trenery-Leach (UK): I only discovered larp about two years ago, by a fortunate accident. Since then I have enjoyed playing short Nordic style larps with the Immersivist Club in London. Through attending Game Kitchen, and through the warm encouragement of friends I have made, I have ventured in the world of larp design.
Parameters
| Communication style | Lots of speech |
| Movement style | Sitting |
| Tone | Moderate |
| Characters | Players build their characters around a predesigned skeleton or archetype |
| 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 | The fictional space looks very unlike the play space, but players will use their imaginations |
| Play culture | The concept of rivalry or cooperation between players doesn’t really apply |
The Smoke 