Bardo

Bardo is a four hour long nonverbal dancing larp for 24 participants. Players will either be people on the verge of death, or Spirits that desire to have a body again.

Long Description

Sometimes a single breath can last an eternity. Sometimes a moment can stretch beyond the bounds of the body, and a different sort of Time can emerge.

This is a LARP about people that are on the verge of flickering out of existence, and Spirits that want to be embodied again. About the ecstasy and pain of being alive, and the freedom and stasis of the Beyond. About choice and transitions, and what it means to be human.

The game will use music and lights to create a liminal playspace. Play will take place over several 'days', although Time is strange in this place.

Play will be nonverbal and consist of movement and dancing. Players will either be humans who are having a near death experience (or are actively dying), or Spirits that want to return to life. There will be a workshop beforehand to establish character relationships and connections, as well as for movement. Most of the dancing is with a partner, but no particular dance style is used, swaying or walking someone around the room are both welcome. There will be specific character backstories that can be played, or players are welcome to make up their own. Through workshops the participants learn the symbolic gestures and how to move to the music, before we all enter a nonverbal world. The tone of the game is steered by the players: you can aim for any mood from hope to tragedy. This game is inspired by Bjergtaget (In the Halls of the Mountain King) and Glamorous Nights.