Valley of Shadow

Valley of Shadow is a Czech experimental larp, combining scenes where players ‘larp as usual’ with ones where they communicate using only dance – specifically blues dancing.

Summary

Valley of Shadow is set in a noir-style prison. It explores topics such as hopelessness, the cycle of violence, powerlessness – but also love, forgiveness and mercy. All the characters are members of a mobster “family” who got into a hopeless situation – partly through a fault of their own; partly because of an outside influence. At night, the prison falls silent and the characters return to their cells; to dream of a better life, in which they avoided their greatest mistake and did not choose hatred. The dream scenes will use blues dancing as a platform of communication, and they will tell a much lighter story of the golden youth of the jazz era and their one true love.

Statistics

The game is for 36 players in one run and it takes cca 3 hours. Before the game, there are two days of workshops of Blues dancing and creation of characters and their stories. Participation fee is 110 - 140 EUR per run, food and hostel style accomodation included. The game has minimalistic and symbolic scenography, but lights and music play important part in creating the mood of it.

Techniques

• Pre-larp Workshop
• Played through dance

Articles

In Knutepunkt book 2019.

Authors

• Iva Vávrová
• Kateřina Morgain Holendová
• Jakub Míšek
• Anna Vrtálková

External Links

• http://valley.tempusludi.cz/en/
• Facebook Page