Sprezzatura #22 - Catharsis By Proxy
I’m currently playing Earth Defense Force 6 with some friends online. You fight an invading horde of aliens and monsters that just happen to look like giant ants, giant spiders, giant frogs, and more. They come at you in huge swarms but they aren’t particularly tough so there’s something satisfying about fighting your way through these crowds. The voice acting and dialogue is hilarious. There’s not a lot of strategy to the game. You just try to blow absolutely everything up.
For some reason, that really scratches an itch these days.
A Variety of Things
[TRPG] The Quiet Year
This Tabletop Role-Playing Game (TRPG) isn’t about spelunking dungeons or maxing stats to slay dragons. I can’t describe it better than the site: “The Quiet Year is a map game. You define the struggles of a community living after the collapse of civilization, and attempt to build something good within their quiet year. Every decision and every action is set against a backdrop of dwindling time and rising concern.”
Players must use their imagination and creativity to collaborate, dissent, build, and challenge their budding society. You can play this game as a sincere exploration of social dynamics or with the silliest sense of play (and anything in between). It’s worth a discussion beforehand to check which experience your group is looking for. Wherever you land, it’s a lovely few hours with 3 or 4 people.
[ART PROJECT] Kilopixel
Kilopixel was an analog wooden pixel display that anyone online could draw on. The project recently ended but it feels like one of those silly, wonderful things that emerged online twenty-five years ago when the internet was an ungoverned frontier. The story of its creation is well worth a read.
[ANIME] Frieren : Beyond Journey’s End
Frieren is an elf, one of the last of her kind, and a heroic mage. It’s the classic fantasy trope. What’s interesting here is that the story starts after our group of heroes have completed their quest, defeated the Demon King, and brought peace to the realm. It’s so disorienting an idea that I had to double check that I was watching the pilot.
Of course there is a new quest but the story manages to look backwards and forwards at the same time, giving it layers I didn’t expect. The magic fights are few but extremely fun and a visual treat. The show even got a few laughs out of me. The series is noted for its patience and deservedly so; the story unfolds deliberately and the characters and world are given room to breathe and grow.
Only one season of 28 episodes is out so far with Season 2 coming early next year.
Improv Exercise
12 Scenes For Dramatic or Comedic Improv Duos
Put numbered slips from 1 to 12 in a hat or cup. Two people up. Draw a number. Do the scene using the corresponding suggestion. Either player can ask to pick again if they aren’t comfortable with the topic.
1: One person is coming to collect their things after a breakup
2: Someone in the couple is mysteriously spending lots of money
3: Two siblings give a joint speech at their other siblings’ wedding reception
4: A manager tells a once-popular music artist they are being dropped by their label
5: Years later, a couple returns to the site of their first date
6: Roommates have to pick a name for their new kitten
7: A close friend has to leave the country suddenly
8: Two teens at a sleepover share secrets
9: A couple waits for the result of a pregnancy test over the phone
10: Co-workers who secretly have crushes on each other have to give a presentation
11: A retired couple work on their costumes for Comic-Fest
12: A teen tells one of their parents that they are moving in with their new partner
EVENTS & THINGS
J’aime l’amour
We have a show coming up at the JIM on Thursday Oct 9 at 8pm. I always appreciate playing an intimate show in an intimate space. On vous invite à nous rejoindre! BILLETS
Professor Yes: How to teach improv
New class alert! Interested in teaching improv? Learn how in this new four-week class with me. “Professor Yes” is nearly full (how did you all do that already?) but you can check out all the details of what we’ll cover and register at improvcollege.ca
And maybe see you in Oslo & Copenhagen!
An Interesting Wikipedia Page: Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin
L8r sk8rs,
Vinny