During the summer a journalist, Caroline Westbrook, from Empire the popular national movie magazine came to us in order to produce an article about live roleplaying to accompany a feature on Dragonheart - the film featuring the voice of Sean Connery as a dragon. She wrote the article reproduced here, and hired local photographer Alistair Devine to take these photographs
Dragons with Scottish accents? Nothing new to the members of the Cuckoo's Nest role-playing society, as Caroline Westbrook discovers.
DENNIS QUAID MAY SWASH AND BUCKLE with the best of them in Dragonheart, but you don't have to be a movie star to live the life. Normal folk have been doing that for some time, thanks to role-playing societies which allow them to act out their fantasies for real. One of the most flourishing is Glasgow University's Cuckoo's Nest, whose weekly stints entice everyone from prospective members of the medical profession to, on this occasion, intrepid Empire journalists.
The rules are simple: create a character, make a costume, and take place in a specially penned encounter. But no stabbing is allowed because the swords, staffs etc. are made of fibreglass rods and could cause a nasty graze. Other than that, I am assured, it's all perfectly safe.
"We've only ever had one casualty; a guy who broke his wrist," offers my guide, Sparks, soon to be tea-towel clad knight Absalon Streichnecht. "He was doing a choreographed swordfight, his wig fell off and he slipped on it. The worst part was having to explain it at the hospital..."
1. Join up with suitable attired companions, all of whom adopt mean and moody poses until distracted by member of public trundling "over-excitable" labrador around the immediate vicinity. Must try harder to get into character...
2. Ah, now that's better. Empire's character, Laetitia Of Anglesey, teams up with fellow wearer of tights and rushes to the aid of nearby village, only to discover entire population has been reduced to pulp by rubber-masked villains. Take time out to look pensive...
3.Pensive posing is, however brought to an abrupt end when the heroic quartet is "unexpectedly" ambushed by sword-toting, bloodthirsty horde. Stenuous bout of thrashing long spiky things around with said horde is very likely in the offing...
4. After negotiations fail, we conclude that baddies are definately ripe for a thrashing. Ignoring all gags pertaining to "My, what a large sword you have", entire gang, led by you-know-who, arm themselves to the teeth and prepare to kick serious butt...
5. Finally find a use for Grade 2 fencing skills gained at school, as frenzied fight ends swiftly with enemy rolling around tarmac in abject agony. The result: quite gratifying number of very dead opponents, one righteously smug Empire journalist...
