Role playing (2)
 

Scripts

Developing a full script is useful for some couples, and that way you can set up exactly what will happen. But for me, detailed scripts somehow take something from the scene, not allowing for spontaneous creativity. Also, if I’m playing the bottom’s part, I prefer not to know in detail what will happen to me. Of course, you’ll have to have an idea of the setup and the scene’s general development for being able to play your part and for giving your consent. Discuss these before the scene with your partner (just discussing it can be fun), and improvise during it. Anyway, if you have a script or develop one, please send us it for sharing it with the rest of our gentle visitors.

 

Staging

Unfortunately, most of us can do little about setting the stage for a scene. Maybe you would love to be tied to the post of a sailing ship for being whipped, but it would be expensive adapting your bedroom for that. Not everybody has a spare room for setting a dungeon. The most you will probably be able to do is moving some furniture around, covering the modern home appliances with sheets (as far as we know Romans hadn’t TV sets or PCs) and using your imagination. If you have or can get some tourist souvenirs (cheap ones will do) from the area or the time represented, you can use them.

As when you go to a theater or the movies, suspending your critical judgment is a must.
You cannot enjoy Rambo if you are going to analyze every detail. Can a man effectively fire a M60 machine gun hand held? Isn’t it hard to believe that “of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world” she had to walk exactly into Rick’s Café at Casablanca? (and from Rick’s words, we can think that it was hard to believe for the screenwriters too) . But we believed (and enjoyed) it. Even when reading most fiction books, you have to let you believe in the make believe.

Do what you can, and let your fantasy go for what is missing...

 

Dressing up

Again your choice. Some people prefer their normal clothes, for feeling humiliated or punished in real life. Some scenes (present-day domestic punishment, for instance) require very little in costumes. Some require the bottom being naked (of course, in most   s/he will be naked before the end). But for the more elaborated ones, some costumes could be appropriate.

Don’t overdo it, especially if you are new to this kind of game. Perhaps it is better to begin with a contemporary scene. Be careful not to choose complicated costumes that are cumbersome or uncomfortable for wearing. And if a funny costume can improve the scene, one that is ridiculous can destroy it. If the one who is supposed to be afraid of you doubles up in laughter at seeing you (or if you can’t stop laughing at your reflection on the mirror) it is going to be difficult to get the mood back.

On the other side, dressing up for a scene helps also in entering on the mood of the characters. When you dress as somebody, you are no more yourself, but you begin feeling as that character. When you feel like somebody else, you can do things that you couldn’t (or would not dare) doing if being yourself. (It’s “he” or “she” who did it, not “you”). That is the reason behind the Carnival festivities costumes, or the costumes parties.

If you plan to dress up for a scene, both parties should be dressed up. If the top is an English governess, the child cannot be dressed in her old jeans. If a girl in full uniform is punished, the headmaster cannot dress like Homer Simpson at home (well, at least in our view).

You don’t need to go to extremes (but of course you can, if you want to spend the money) for dressing up. A piece of white cloth with a headband (plain please, a Nike’s logo will ruin the effect) for holding it on your head and a white sheet to wrap around will do for an “Arab sheik”. With some ingenuity, you don’t need to spend a little fortune in costumes.

For instance, do you know the differences in dressing among somebody in the courts of the Spanish Queen Isabel La Católica, the French King Louis XV or the early times of English Queen Victoria? (And I’m covering several centuries). I will not tell you for the following reasons:
1. I will not offend you by assuming you don’t know.
2. This is not a site about fashions history.
3. I have no idea.
4. I don’t care (and, for a scene, you shouldn’t)

Remember that this is fantasy. For playing I don’t care at all how a real sheik would talk, behave, or dress, but how my partner and I fantasize he should.

So, if you and your partner think the way of dressing is appropriate for your character, it is. If dressing that way will make both of you happy and trigger your fantasy, there is no higher authority in the matter.

Don’t be afraid of stereotypes, because you are not a real slave of a real Roman gladiator. You are a stereotypical slave of a stereotypical Roman gladiator.

When talking about fantasy (and stereotypes), nobody better at that than Hollywood. Most of us got most our information on pirates, amazons and sheiks from the TV and movies (and for the older of us, adventure books, not much better in historical background). Unless you are doing scholar research, don’t be afraid of using Hollywood as your adviser. When planning a scene, you could rent a picture with the right setting, and get your inspiration from there. (B class pictures are fine. The cheaper the production, the easier to reenact it).

There are many stores on the internet that specialize in school, maids or military uniforms, and many of them are specialized in costumes for scenes. And you can go for theater stores, or just pick what you want on garage sales.

Published: 12/14/05