Hot Garbage Comedy host their first LARP event in Odell Park this weekend.
Matt Carter
The creative minds behind Hot Garbage Comedy’s live play adventure comedy series Players & Pints brought their hit show to an end back in the spring. After a successful run of events, often performing to capacity crowds at a downtown café, organizers decided it was time to turn their attention to other ideas, the first of which takes place this coming Saturday.
The Battle for Twerkwood Forest live action role play event is sure to be unlike anything to ever take place in Odell Park.
“We’re extremely excited. Getting to offer something weird like this is exactly what I love about Hot Garbage,” said Hot Garbage co-founder Jean-Michel Cliche. “Ultimately, it’s just like the games you would organize with the neighbourhood kids when you were younger. But on a much bigger scale because your organizational skills are better.”
Through their improv comedy shows, workshops and live games of Dungeons and Dragons, risk has always been a catalyst for the Hot Garbage team. It would appear Cliche and his co-conspirators thrive on exploring the question, “what if?” Understanding this collective motivation, a live action role play event seems like a no-brainer.
To make it happen, the organizing team looked at how other similar events were run and then looked at how they could put their own Hot Garbage spin on it.
“We looked at what other groups do and realized a lot of it is just giant battles,” said Cliche. “And while that sounds like fun for lots of people, we wanted to make sure there’s a little something for everyone. So it’s turned more into a live action video game. We’ll have actors placed around the park who will give quests and rewards. There will still be lots of fighting, but it’s more about exploring and adventuring with your team now.”
Want to get into the action? All the information you’d ever need to know can be found on the group’s website. But it’s also important to know this is a ticketed event. If you want to get dressed up (optional), create your own LARP-friendly weaponry (also optional, but foam swords will be available), and spend a few hours battling your way through some of the oldest growth in the city (highly encouraged), you need to register in advance. Tickets are on sale until Thursday.
“It’s important for us to have a basic idea of how many people to expect, so we’re only selling tickets in advance,” said Cliche. “We’re going to be selling them until Thursday the 25th, so grab them while you can!”
To date, Cliche says interest in the event has been encouraging. Even people with no interest in participating have offered to help out any way they can.
“People are really excited about it! It’s definitely not everyone’s bag, but even people who aren’t going keep asking me questions about it or have volunteered to help out, just so they can see what it is,” he said. “I think people are just excited to see new things popping up in the city.
“This is outside of our comfort zone in a lot of ways. But we have a really good crew of folks helping out,” said Cliche. “Plus, I really love and trust the community Hot Garbage has fostered. We’re lucky to have a following that is up to try new things and just be there to have a good time.”
The Battle for Twerkwood Forest (A LARP event) | July 27 | 1-4 p.m. | View Event
