Читать книгу Montegue Blister’s Strange Games: and other odd things to do with your time - Alan Down - Страница 21

If someone says to you, ‘Let’s play Big Brother’, you will probably imagine a game that involves sitting around on sofas in a minimalist house, arguing over shopping lists and bitching about other players not being true to themselves. Or, if you are older, you may imagine a game involving a perspex helmet, a very hungry rat and lots of screaming.

Fortunately, this Big Brother is neither of these, just a great indoors game for two players. Each is given a rolled-up newspaper and then blindfolded. Players then

spin themselves around a set number of times to disorientate themselves but not make themselves too dizzy. Then they get down on their hands and knees.

Player one then shouts out, ‘Are you there Big Brother?’. To this, player two must make the reply ‘Yes’. Now player one can lash out with their rolled-up newspaper, their aim to make contact with the opponent. If they do, they immediately get another go until they miss. If they miss, it is the other player’s turn. Once a player has responded, ‘Yes’, they are allowed to move or scuttle away as best they can, but they must remain on hands and knees at all times (and in this way hopefully avoid any incoming blows).

A great game, but probably not one to play against a skilled ventriloquist with a strong right arm…

Big Brother has similarities to the game Are you there, Moriarty? Here, two players are blindfolded and lie flat on their backs with the tops of their heads almost touching. Each is given a rolled-up newspaper or plastic sword. Player one calls out ‘Are you there, Moriarty?’, to which the opponent replies ‘I’m here’, and then either rolls to their right, left, or stays where they are. On hearing the reply player one immediately strikes out with their weapon and has to make the choice to hit directly above their head or to the right or left. If they succeed in hitting their opponent, player two goes back to their original place and player one retains the strike. If player one misses, it is player two’s turn.

Another good variation on this game is Blindfold Water Pistol Fighting. Simply place two loaded water pistols in the centre of the room, then stand two players at the side of the room, blindfold them and set them off. Their first task will be to find their weapon, then they have to try to fire it in the direction of their opponent. The first player to shoot the other, wins. Non-playing partygoers add to the fun and confusion by shouting out directions to the players.