What is larp?

I’d had a black-and-white, plain text, presentation “What is larp” kicking around unfinished for ages.

Then yesterday Elina Gouliou wanted one, so I scrambled for images, and here it is.

It won’t make much sense without this speaker notes. I try and follow the precepts of Russell Davies – he’s written a great book. These are slides for a performance, not a deckument. The chances of me actually using them are slight to none, but here they are.

What is larp?
Larp for non-larpers.(Image: a ritual to summon Dionysus at run 26 the larp College of Wizardry, by the Denmark-based Witchards Society and the Polish group Wonderlarp, photographer Przemysław Jendroska.)

Immersive
You are “in” it – it’s not like a film, or TV, or a game, or a theatre, where you watch it from the outside the action. You can move around, you can decide where you want to be. It’s like something by Punchdrunk, if you’ve heard of them. (Image: Czocha castle, the venue for College of Wizardry, by the Denmark-based Witchards Society and the Polish group Wonderlarp ,photographer Przemysław Jendroska.)

Interactive
You can change the story – it’s not like a film, or TV, or a theatre, where you must watch something you can’t affect. It’s like something by Secret Cinema, or Parabolic, or an escape room, or a murder mystery. (Image: planning the defense of London at the larp Wing and a Prayer by Allied Games, photographer Tom Garnett.)

In-character
You portray a character, you’re not just being yourself. This is what sets it apart from simply events that are immersive, interactive, or even both.  As a wise actor friend of mine says – all acting is you being yourself, because yourself is all you’ve got. So as long as you can remember a name, you’re ok.(This is Minos, arena master at the larp odyssey by UK organisers Profound Decisions, photographer Charlie Moss.)

What is it like?
(This is a chef having a nap while Cardinal Richelieu plots in a dark corner at the larp All For one by larpx and Crooked House, photographer Tom Garnett.)

Improvising a play
…but there’s no audience, you’re all in it together – makes it less daunting. (This is a character and their daemon at a larp inspired by the works of Philip Pullman, by Danish larp organiser Katrine Wind, photographer unknown but I’m working on that.)

Living an experience
…that you might not have the chance to in the everyday world. (This is an archery lesson at the larp Fairweather Manor, by a consortium of European organisers, photographer unknown but I’m working on that.)

Stepping into a film
…but there’s no director. It becomes the experience everyone there makes it, and the stories you tell afterwards are yours, because they came from what you did. (This is a wicker man at the larp Empire, by UK organisers Profound Decisions, photographer Tom Garnett.)