It’s not that any one type of Muppet is inherently better than the other. (Order Muppets do seem to attract the ladies, but then Chaos Muppets collect the chicken harems.) It’s simply the case that the key to a happy marriage, a well-functioning family, and a productive place of work lies in carefully calibrating the ratio of Chaos Muppets to Order Muppets within any closed system. That, and always letting the Chaos Muppets do the driving.
Dahlia Lithwick
What is the Village of Idiots?
A Comedy Larp is a collaborative storytelling game where characters play through funny situations. Here’s how it works.
The Pre-Game Workshop – Before the game, we’ll run a series of workshops that will help you flesh out your character, develop their quirks, and build relationships with other characters.
At this workshop, you’ll be taught the basics of improv comedy. You’ll meet the other players who you’ll be shmucking around with all weekend, and develop your own shtick that will unfold as the game goes on.
Comedic Alignment
Many roleplaying games ask you to choose between good and evil. In the VILLAGE OF IDIOTS, your “character alignment” is the role you tend to play in comedic bits. Mismatched characters are a classic comedy dynamic. Every player will choose from two alignments, “Order” and “Chaos”, the bread and butter of the comedic double act. (If we’re being honest, the alignment system is based on muppets.) These two types of characters foil each other, creating a comedic dynamic which makes any situation fun to play through.
- Order-aligned characters play things “straight”. They act like they are in an epic fantasy movie like Lord of the Rings. Order-aligned characters maintain a serious demeanor even in the face of preposterous and absurd situations. Order characters are invested in the fiction and are generally somewhat gullible. They tend to be reasonable, deadpan, and serious.
- Chaos-aligned characters, on the other hand, are wilder and more free wheeling. They might be silly, unorthodox, uneducated, or just plain stupid. They are the the Pinky to the Order-aligned Brain, the Gonzo to the Order-aligned Kermit.
What if I’m not funny?
Do you have to be a witty, wise-cracking joke machine to participate in VILLAGE OF IDIOTS? Aw HELL no.
For one, we need a range of characters – not just zany goofballs, but also characters that are straight-faced, uptight, easily-upset.
Secondly, don’t force it. Don’t even worry about it. You don’t have to spit out freestyle sitcom dialog, and you aren’t going to have your sides splitting all day. Let’s just lean, together, into the absurdity of each situation. Let the scene be funny by itself. Do what you can to support it. Larps automatically generate crazy, hilarious, “No sh–, there I was…” situations, as long as everybody is open. If you’re Order-aligned, play up your reaction to these nincompoops all around you. If you’re Chaos-aligned, play against the Order-character’s sensibilities and decorum. Do whatever you think would make the scene better, including just relaxing and enjoying it, and don’t sweat the rest.
When / Where / How Much?
Village Of Idiots’s first run will take place at Camp Pomperaug, in Union, CT. Pending its inevitable success, we will stage repeats at other locations.
The event will be on April 22-24, 2022. The event will run from Friday night (around 9:00 PM) until Sunday morning (around noon).
Get in Touch
Join our Facebook Group!
Send Us a Message
Copyright 2019, Third Eye Patch – All rights reserved