Yay come and play! Don't know the game? Doesn't matter! No idea what's going on? Unimportant! Forgotten your name? Make up a new one! And dancing is always a good option.
About once a month Elsewherians play CITY.
This is a performative game that, in the words of the director's at a recent conference in Toronto "allows players to collaboratively participate in the simultaneous conception and production of an alternative social imaginary based on fictional exchange, play, and pretend." In other words let's dress up and play around with the things we've built.
The game is open to the public so there are people who've played before, people who haven't played but know what Elsewhere is about, and people who think they've just landed in an insane asylum and are nervously looking for the way out - or fully participating and having a great time despite not having a clue. Which is fine, you don't need a clue, there aren't rules, no script, no overall plan.
Here's how it panned out on Friday night. These photos are all courtesy of Elsewherian intern Katie Minton.
New immigrants are processed at the station and welcomed to Elsewhere. Citizens present claims for buttons - you can claim for anything - I got some buttons for "Bein' mighty nice" and some for plantin the tomaters.
George is the Station Master. Tough but Fair. Sometimes.New citizens quickly become valuable members of the society.
Here Mr Lucacious Gracious becomes are fireman and rescues a kitty that was stuck up a tree.Others, sadly, sicken. However luckily Wendy had set up the hospital for just such emergencies.
Les was soon back on his feet and up to no good.Many citizens came by TNT and booked a pleasant holiday
TNT looked lovely from the street. Miss Mary was not specific about her destination but she sure was in a hurry. "just get me outta town - quick"
Citizens Mr Andrews and Mr Barclay wanted to go to Egypt.
Nurse Cow was yearning for greener pastures.
Unfortunately some well known troublemakers decided to protest the setting up of TNT and the disestablishment of the psychiatrist's office. Guess some folks don't like a change as much as a holiday.
They called themselves "The apparatus for the perpetual promotion of public and private paranoia", but really, we think they're just larrikins. sniff.
And of course they were such media hungry exhibitionists. TNT hired private protection, who were not very effective, and sought help from Madame Goggles of the Eh-pistolary which helped a bit. Eventually the protesters were pacified and slunk away. TNT was able to resume its peaceable and fabulous business, sending folks to far flung corners of the world (well, ok, to the avaiary) for just a few buttons. It was lots of work of course, especially endless paperwork,
but worth it to see all those happy holidaymakers romping around.
So the game went on, multiple stories playing out spontaneously in multiple places, until at 11pm we closed the doors and collapsed exhaustedly into a dance party. Lots of fun. Hope I get to come back and play again sometime.
Miss Sissy Gunn, at your service.
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