Had an interesting one last night - housemate Jelena's shiny happy people friends came over and did a play reading of Gogol's The Inspector General, a scorching satire of corruption in Russia from 1836. (As you do)
I jumped in for a couple of minor roles in the second half though I wasn't quite up to speed enough to do them in the outlandish accents everyone else was putting on. I can't say I knew much about Gogol before this (beyond that he existed and was some literary figure of note) but it was a very lively piece that showed that some things (toadying, corruption, powergames) never really change.
From there we moved on to a writing game called consequences. I don't think I've played it before (I think I've heard of it though) but it's a group story writing game.
In essence, you write part of a story on a piece of paper, fold your section over so it can't be seen, pass the paper around the circle, write the next part of your story, fold, pass, etc until it is done.
The story takes the form of
- Man's name
- Woman's name
- What they did
- Where they did it
- What he said
- What she said
- Who saw them
- The consequences
I must confess, I was a little dubious about this but it worked surprisingly well.
Here are some of the stories that came of it.
James Packer and Kate Barrow (French resistance figure) were sipping champagne, nibbling on caviar & camembert and discussing the meaning of life on a nudist beach.
He said something to the effect that it was all "that bitch's" fault.("That bitch" pertaining to his ex).
She said take me to the river, wash me down.
The Pope saw them and there was chocolate mousse for all.
Joseph P (French resistance figure) and Marilyn Monroe were playing in a sprinkler in the cheapest room in the worst hotel in the most dangerous suburb of Rotterdam.
He said "Well might you say God save the Queen because noone can save the Governor General"
She said "I think you're mistaken, I'm not a doctor"
A flock of West Canadian geese saw them and several very ugly babies with hot bodies were born.
Haagendaaz and Erica Packer were playing poker in a smoky French cafe where Sartre once had sat and debated on the Existentialism.
He said "I love floating high up in the clouds with you"
She said something inane that nobody really remembers anymore because, let's be honest, it's really not very important after all.
WIN news saw them and the crowd all drank champagne and rode off into the sunset.
Once upon a time Bugsy Malone and Edith Pilaf got married in a secret Scientology ceremony with Tom Cruise presiding in a dirty bistro.
He said "C'est la vie".
She said "This is hilarious and inventive"
Who saw them? Who didn't see them! They had no shame!
Labour won the election - a landslide victory - but the socialists couldn't help but wonder... who would they protest against now?
Kevin Rudd and Maggie Thatcher were enjoying a lemon meringue pie in the sun as their pizza slowly digested on a luxury yacht in the Mediterranean.
He said "I like sucking lemons"
She said "Ooh la la!"
A dolphin called Flounder saw them and a few drunk kids threw up and an old lady fainted but more or less everyone else was at least mildly amused.
They all turned out pretty well I think and it was a lot of fun.
