Possible outcomes:
• Playfulness.
• Fun and laughter.
• Illustrates how one person’s action influences a whole system.
Overview:
Everyone stands in a circle. Each player chooses 2 other participants in their mind, who are their enemy and their bodyguard. When the game starts each player must ensure that his bodyguard is always between him and his enemy.
Time: 5 – 15 min
Number of participants: 8 – 30
Game flow:
Everyone stands in a circle. Ask the participants to each choose 2 other players in the circle and assign them with the letters A and B. Tell them that person A is their enemy and that person B is their bodyguard. Tell them that when you say “go” they must move to ensure that their bodyguard is always between them and their enemy. This results in a very dynamic movement of all the players that never reaches a state of equilibrium.
Tips:
• When explaining the rules it helps to show an example using yourself and 2 other players as your enemy and bodyguard.
• Tell the players to take care of each other and that they are not allowed to hold on to another player. This is especially important when playing the game with teenagers.
Debrief questions:
• What did you notice while playing the game?
• What feelings did you experience while playing the game?
• What made the game fun?
• How did the movement of one player influence the rest of the players?
Variation:
Tell the players that they are the bodyguard and that they must ensure that they are always between person A and B. This will result in everyone bundling up together.
I learned this game in Jet Eveleth’s class at the IO theatre in Chicago