Harold Night 2003 — 21 of 27

Part 6 - Doing Improv

Chapter 1 - Setting The Scene and Players

Show is a region. Arena is in Show.

Crowd is a backdrop in Show. The description of crowd is "Hushed and attentive. It's hard to see with the lights, but you can tell by the way your words get swallowed up that it's a full house.". Understand "audience" as crowd while player is in Show.

StageLights are a backdrop in Show. The description of StageLights is "They are bright. You can't see the audience except for the people in the front rows.". Understand "lights" as StageLights while player is in Show.

Front Rows are a backdrop in Show. The description of Front Rows is "You can make out: several grinning improv students, a middle aged guy with a Warner Bros. T-shirt and some lady who is frowning and will never smile.". Understand "people" as front rows while player is in Show.

StageLights can be scened or unscened. StageLights are unscened.

StageLights has an improviser called a scene partner.

Stagelights has an improviser called walkon.

An improviser can be taken or untaken. An improviser is usually untaken.

Assigning is an action applying to nothing.

Understand "assign" as assigning.

Carry out assigning:

now all improvisers are untaken;

now the scene partner of StageLights is a random untaken improviser;

now the scene partner of StageLights is taken;

now the walkon of StageLights is a random untaken improviser.

To say partner:

say "[scene partner of StageLights]".

To say walkon:

say "[walkon of StageLights]".

Before going south from Backstage:

if player is not warm:

say "You can't go. You're not warmed up yet. Type WARM UP." instead;

else if the number of known improv moves is less than 8:

say "You can't go on stage. You don't know enough improv lessons yet." instead;

else if the number of known improv moves is 8:

now the player holds the skull;

say "I know I said that you needed 8. But now that you know all 8 lessons, you feel there's still something missing you ought to know. You are not yet ready to go on stage.[para]Something magically appears in your inventory. (type [b]i[/b] for [b]inventory[/b])." instead.

After going south from Backstage:

try assigning;

say "Okay, you're finally ready. You and the rest of The Lament push aside a heavy black curtain to enter the stage. The audience cheers to greet you. [walkon] gets a suggestion, and you guys all do a quick pattern game. For the second scene you step out with [partner]. Deep breath, here we go...";

now The Lament are in Arena;

continue the action.

After going north from Arena:

if StageLights are unscened, say "Leaving without doing a scene: great bit.";

say "You and The Lament shuffle off. [walkon] edits to cover for the hasty exit.";

say "[br]The ghost of Del Close appears, only to you and says: [i]'No one will remember that scene ever happened! The next time you step out, you will have a chance to re-do a VERY SIMILAR SCENE!'[/i] Amazing!";

now The Lament is in Backstage;

now YesAnding is unused; [ends the internal scene 'Beat']

continue the action.