Participants:
minimum: 4
maximum: 15
Equipment:
gym-mats/rugs/blankets/rope (anything tactile
that can mark out space on the floor)
blindfolds (optional)
Skills/Techniques
Darken the space, all eyes are closed.... all you can hear is
its hisssss...
Prepare to get very immersed in this game - and very scared!
This one is great for firing up the imagination, listening with the
body and investigating 'objectives'.
How to Play
Start by marking out a large space for the group. You need to
have something soft and tactile around the boundaries of the space
- gym mats are great for this. People will be running around
with their eyes closed so the space needs to be clear and safe and
the edges of the space entirely marked out with something that the
feet can feel as soon as one is heading out of bounds.
Shoes off is best.
All the participants should enter into the marked out space and
with their eyes still open familiarise their feet with the touch of
the boundary-line (if no gym mats you could use rope laid on the
floor, towels or rugs etc.)
You're about to choose the snake. Get everybody shoulder to
shoulder in a circle, inside the marked space, heads down and eyes
closed. Darken the space - turn off lights, close blinds etc.
Tell the participants "I am about to choose the snake..
mwhaahahahahah! I will give you a light tap on the shoulder and you
will be the snake. don't tell anyone!"
Everyone MUST keep their eyes closed (if people are having trouble
keeping their eyes closed you can use blind-folds)
Once you have chosen the snake, tell everyone "keep your eyes
closed, the snake has been chosen. Stay calm and stay still for
now. Snake, you are after your prey - to attack your hand must
squeeze a persons' shoulder. People, if your shoulder is
squeezed by the snake, you must die a most loud and horrible
death! Once you are dead you can open your eyes and come to
the boundaries of the space with me to watch and sometimes guide
the others still left in the game. Snake - you can move only
if you are hissing at the same time. Snake - you may be still
and silent, or move and hiss towards your prey. All of you
can start to move now."
This is an amazing game to be watching from the sidelines.
People become quite terrified by the hissing, people huddle
together in fear, arms reaching out, heads angled to best catch all
the sounds. Keep an eye on the safety of participants. Make
sure they keep moving - don't let people hide in a corner for to
long.
Don't be afraid to let this game play out for a while - the
participants will become increasing absorbed.
Afterwards, allow the snake and the last person to be caught to
extrapolate on their experiences, also talk about what it looked
like from the sidelines - there will be lots of close shaves! Those
who died early would have seen some really interesting 'scenarios'
played out in the space just through this game.
Examples:
