Systrarna Cederschiöld
Introductory notes about men and their scenes
Only a few months ago Jonas K. over at Jonas dagar turned down invitations both to lajv-(larp) and friform games just by saying he didn't like that type of play, admitting membership in the sprawling indie scene. Discussions continued after that in the same manner as in the last couple of years. Maybe the pace was a bit faster now, discussions took place at our and others blogs instead of at parties and in private forums. The audience (mostly silent and maybe imagined) makes you erase some of the really crappy things you want to write in the heat of discussion. The simple insights that bridged the gap was the following two things:
The game
Once there were four sisters Cederschiöld. But during twelve years there have been only three. The parents forbade anyone to mention the fourth in their presence. She should be forgotten. At 28 years of age Marianne feels it to be time to reconnect with her sisters and she invites them all to her apartment in a not too flashy neighbourhood outside of Göteborg.
The lajv began with a huge clash when the three sisters descended from high society to the world of Marianne and Roger (played by Helena Ferry and Jonas Karlsson, respectively). The steepest fall was the one experienced by the oldest sister Wictoria (played by Ingela Vretblad) and her husband Ernst Hjelmsäther (played by me). Wictoria hade married Ernst mainly to get a name higher up in the noble hierarchy.
Alice (played by Julia Klingvall) was the only sister with a traditional career, working as an achitect. Her husband Konrad (played by Jonas Liljenfeldt) leads a computer company, but seems to have different views on life than his wife.
Charlotta (played by Elisabeth Öberg) had made a somewhat unusual choice in life by living as a not very well paid artist. Neither Alice nor Wictoria are comfortably with this or that she seem to be satisfied with being single.
The above is a scetch of the starting point for the game. Everyone played just beautifully and each of the seven characters had an interesting part in the play. Jonas and Helena had on beforehand been very clear on what style of play they wanted. Accept other players ideas, don't block, be creative. In contrary to the common idea of creating a story line they had actively tried to rid their texts from story arc; wanting this to be created by the players during play.
I really enjoyed it, but had of course a few comments. Two things are of interest for in the context of this text.
A coincidence in addition
Playing my characters wife was Ingela Vretblad. As it turns out she also visited Mellanrummet (see earlier post) and even played one of the four satanists. It was indeed very interesting to compare out different experiences and different takes on playing satanists in night clothes.
Edit
Now read more sides of the story. Choose if you want to hear the gospel according to Jonas or Helena (Helenas text is in Swedish).
Only a few months ago Jonas K. over at Jonas dagar turned down invitations both to lajv-(larp) and friform games just by saying he didn't like that type of play, admitting membership in the sprawling indie scene. Discussions continued after that in the same manner as in the last couple of years. Maybe the pace was a bit faster now, discussions took place at our and others blogs instead of at parties and in private forums. The audience (mostly silent and maybe imagined) makes you erase some of the really crappy things you want to write in the heat of discussion. The simple insights that bridged the gap was the following two things:
- Clarity. Nothing is more important than clarity of appropriate style of play in a certain game. Otherwise you put both friendship and fun at great risk.
- What kind of rewards you can expect to get from a game is very strongly dependent on the style of play. Players has to be aware of this and follow this.
The game
Once there were four sisters Cederschiöld. But during twelve years there have been only three. The parents forbade anyone to mention the fourth in their presence. She should be forgotten. At 28 years of age Marianne feels it to be time to reconnect with her sisters and she invites them all to her apartment in a not too flashy neighbourhood outside of Göteborg.
The lajv began with a huge clash when the three sisters descended from high society to the world of Marianne and Roger (played by Helena Ferry and Jonas Karlsson, respectively). The steepest fall was the one experienced by the oldest sister Wictoria (played by Ingela Vretblad) and her husband Ernst Hjelmsäther (played by me). Wictoria hade married Ernst mainly to get a name higher up in the noble hierarchy.
Alice (played by Julia Klingvall) was the only sister with a traditional career, working as an achitect. Her husband Konrad (played by Jonas Liljenfeldt) leads a computer company, but seems to have different views on life than his wife.
Charlotta (played by Elisabeth Öberg) had made a somewhat unusual choice in life by living as a not very well paid artist. Neither Alice nor Wictoria are comfortably with this or that she seem to be satisfied with being single.
The above is a scetch of the starting point for the game. Everyone played just beautifully and each of the seven characters had an interesting part in the play. Jonas and Helena had on beforehand been very clear on what style of play they wanted. Accept other players ideas, don't block, be creative. In contrary to the common idea of creating a story line they had actively tried to rid their texts from story arc; wanting this to be created by the players during play.
I really enjoyed it, but had of course a few comments. Two things are of interest for in the context of this text.
- I think it would have been good with one or two common memories for the sisters. This isn't necessary, since the whole style of play was inviting to determing such things during play. But the sisters had very little discussion about their common past and I think it would be good to put some stress on that part.
- The game became somewhat static. Quite soon we found a role for each character and kept it there for the remainder of the game. I think very small measures could be used to create somewhat more drama. During almost all of the game we sat around the table. I think more things would have happened if just hosts had asked us to move to the sofa or move around freely with coffee. I personally was definitely lacking possibilities of talking to other characters alone.
A coincidence in addition
Playing my characters wife was Ingela Vretblad. As it turns out she also visited Mellanrummet (see earlier post) and even played one of the four satanists. It was indeed very interesting to compare out different experiences and different takes on playing satanists in night clothes.
Edit
Now read more sides of the story. Choose if you want to hear the gospel according to Jonas or Helena (Helenas text is in Swedish).
posted by Sven Holmström at 8:42 pm
5 Comments:
I enjoyed reading your post and I just wrote one too (in Swedish though). Thanks for coming all the way from Linköping to play, Ernst made a wonderful contribution to the scenario. Such a bad guy. :)
"they don't tell you anything."
On the other hand Mellanrummet was from the start very clear on the style of play. And in my book, thats more important than knowing the drama. You knew who to prepare your character.
"That's why we said that the whole apartment was available for play, and that we would try to introduce breaks in the dinner for people to move around."
I think everyone expects the hosts to clearly state that you can move around while waiting. Of course, as you told me after the game, the guest here could very well have chosen not to respect the hosts at all and just behaving as they wanted.
"Right now the static feeling made the dinner feel more trapped and uncomfortable, which I see as a good thing."
You are right. But maybe you could have gotten a bit of both by som mingle late in the party?
" I bet you knew some of the organizers"
Yes. For me the reason that I was 'GO!' already from start was that Erik was the main organizer.
I think w have gotten eachothers point. You are right, of course. I know that the lack of content knowledge was a bit problematic for a few players. But, really, if you read the homepage carefully you could most of what would happen to you anyway.
But still, Jonas K. you started to talk about Mellanrummet, saying: " And it's actually just that thing that keeps me from playing a Swedish lajv like Mellanrummet; they don't tell you anything."
This was the paragraph that started that part of the debate. I answered that they actually wre pretty clear on the style of play and how to work with your character; and that I believed this to be the stuff they needed to brief us about.
I think that after your last post you have to clearify your point regarding that (not necessarily what you meant then, but what you think now).
"They were very unclear on the content of play"
Yeah, this was the point as we have said before. As I also have said before I didnät think it was too important. But still, this way of treating things might have stopped me froom going, had I not known of the organizers.
" I don't really know how it works in practice, but I suppose you pay them 350 crowns and then get your character."
I guess they don't write on the homepage how it worked. But this is how it worked: You made contact adn eventually got a character. You could choose to take it or ask for a new one. I changed from the first I got, since we wanted a group instead. When you had been given a character you liked, *then* you paid. I think this is a quite common practice.
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