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Template:Larp Just a Little Lovin' is a game that was first run in Norway in the summer of 2011, a second run took place in Sweden on the 8th - 13th of June 2012 and a third in Denmark on the 5th - 10th of August 2013.

Set in a partially fictional New York of 1982 through -84, the game is "a larp about friendship, desire and the fear of death"[1]. The game itself lasted for three days, with act breaks every morning to build out relations and further play.


Summary

1982: It was the summer AIDS came to New York City. Two group of friends from New York City celebrate the 4th of July in upstate New York. The 1970s have been a decade of women's liberation, youth rebellion, anti-war protests and sexual promiscuity. This changed America forever, but the early 1980s is also a time of a resurging conservative movement which President Ronald Reagan is the sunny face of. Gay men are migrating to New York to become part of the vibrant and hedonistic scene in Greenwitch Village. Unbeknownst to everyone however the HIV virus has started spreading in the city. An article in the New York Times last summer described a mysterious "gay cancer", but it's cause remains still unknown.

During the larp we play three 4th of July partys of 1982, 1983 and 1984. Every morning after breakfast there is an act break where we find out what has happened with the characters and their relationships the following year before the next act starts one year later. When the game starts neither the players nor the characters know who will become infected by the virus, but the lives of all the characters will be deeply effected by the epidemic. Our goal for the game is that all the characters will have friendships that are important to them, experience a little bit of lovin' at the summer parties and feel the fear of death as people around them start to become infected.[2]

Production history

Just a Little Lovin' 2011 - Norway

The game was first organized and written by Tor Kjetil Edland and Hanne Grasmo. The location was Lunde Leirsted south of Oslo with 60 participants.


Country Participants
Denmark 11
Finland 4
Norway 18
Sweden 26
USA 1
Country Organizers
Norway 2


Just a Little Lovin' 2012 - Sweden

The second run of the game was produced by Miriam Lundqvist, Anna-Karin Linder and Petter Karlsson through the LajvVerkstaden association with Tor Kjetil Edland and Hanne Grasmo. The location was Gålögården on Gålö south of Stockholm with 54 participants.



Nationalities of participants: Denmark - 4- Iceland - 1 Finland - 4 France - 4 Norway - 2 Sweden - 37 UK - 2


Country Participants
Denmark 4
Finland 4
France 4
Iceland 1
Norway 2
Sweden 37
UK 2
Country Organizers
Norway 2
Sweden 3


Just a Little Lovin' 2013 - Denmark

The second run of the game was produced by Flemming H. Jacobsen, Nynne Søs Rasmussen and Helene Willer Piironen trough the Rollespilsfabrikken association with Tor Kjetil Edland. Petter Karlsson and Morgan Jarl where co-organizers and workshop facilitators. The location was Arresøcentret that lies close to the Danish town Frederiksværk on Zealand with 64 participants.

Techniques

Related

The game site featured artwork done specifically for the larp by Astrid Solgård, that was later used in an exhibition in a gallery.

There was also an exhibition at Oslo Central Station for the World AIDS Day featuring pictures, written pieces, pieces from the set, the paintings by Solgård as well as a few of the players doing performances.[3]

Before the game was played, there was a debate in the Swedish newspaper Expressen, regarding whether or not it is alright to "play" with AIDS. You can find the first entry of that debate here.

External links