Connection, Realisation, Change |
| Designers: Ruth Trenery-Leach and Laura Wood |
| Number of participants: 6-8 |
| Duration: 4 hours |
| The presenter feels that this larp IS suitable for young people aged 16+ |
About the larp
Turning Point is a larp about reaching that moment in your life where you realise you need resolve your past and make a change in your life.
It takes place in a semi surreal dream space where characters encounter significant people from their past or present, and can resolve past issues and work out what they want or need to do to move towards. The focus is on how connections with others shape us – the theme focuses on confrontation and reconciliation.
What do you need to tell people, or hear from them to move towards the life you want to live?
Characters will be created in workshops using songs and poems as a starting point. If anyone needs to see, or hear the songs and poems in advance – we can work with you to arrange that.
Content Warnings: This larp is about dealing with conflict with others and this will be an unavoidable theme of the larp. Players are free to create their own characters, but we will contact them in advance to ask them if there are any topics that they would not like to have in the larp.
In terms of accessibility, the workshop will ask players to read poems and songs in order to create their character. For players who might find this difficult, we can offer alternative options, such as showing them the texts in advance or giving them audio recordings to listen to. We will offer this when we email players to contact.
Ruth Trenery-Leach: Ruth Trenery-Leach (UK): Ruth only discovered larp in 2016, by a fortunate accident. Since then she has enjoyed playing short Nordic style larps with the Immersivist Club in London. Through attending Game Kitchen, and through the warm encouragement of friends she has made, she has ventured into the world of larp design. She has co-designed Life of a House and New Life, and run them in various festivals in the UK.
Laura Wood: Laura Wood (UK): Laura has designed several larps which have run in several countries throughout Europe, including Here Comes a Candle, Down the Line, and Inside. She is a co-organiser for The Smoke: London’s International Larp Festival, and Larps on Location which have run larps including On Location. She is a strong proponent of creating a safety culture within larps and larp festivals. Her larps The Clinic, and The Discovery of Witches ran in 2021.
Parameters
| Physical contact | Moderate contact; e.g. hugging, formal partner dancing |
| Romance and intimacy | Demonstrations of affection; e.g. hugging, holding hands |
| Conflict and violence | Shouting and other intimidating actions not involving contact |
| Communication style | Lots of speech |
| Movement style | Walking |
| Characters | Players create their own characters, in a workshop |
| 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 | 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 |
| Tone | Dramatic |
The Smoke 