Role playing!

And no, I don’t mean any obscure bed room scenes, tsk, tsk!

In January I was once again away in the countryside for a week full of role playing - this is a bit like we played as children or like theater without audience… As I was a bar maid I thought playing a gypsy would be fun. So I had everything: the red skirt, the red headscarf, the golden earrings and of course some obscure Italian-like accent. And besides it all being fun to play such a character (she said things I would never dare to say!) it also was a good exercise for writing. Why? Because I had to completely become the character! Of course the first hour or so was difficult, I often found myself thinking what I should do or say. But then I really got into it! I turned into that character and was able to see the world I was in with her eyes and answer in her language.

I don’t think I will use this character ever in a book, but the experience is really worth it. If you have chance to attend a Live Role Play, go for it!! Yes, it costs quite an effort to act silly, but it frees your mind and creativity!
Here at wikipedia you can read more about it!

Oh, and of course I played the harp there, not as a gypsy but as my usual harp player. Here are pics: http://www.dragon-harp.de/wp-content/gallery/2008-larp-die-akademie/08_akad_1.jpg and

http://www.dragon-harp.de/wp-content/gallery/2008-larp-die-akademie/08_akad_2.jpg