Survey of Chemical Substances in Consumer Products, No. 85 2007 – A mapping of products and material used within live role-play

A mapping of products and material used within live role-play

1 The extension of role play

1.1 Live role-playing, this is how it works

Live role play is a leisure activity which, according to actors in the field, has seen a rapid growth within the past years and which is expected to continue to grow.

This is seen from the number of children and youth among the consumers of the products within role playing and the number of role play societies and youth centres conducting role play.

The number of active role players

Role-play actors estimate that within a year, as many as 100.000 children and youth (mostly boys) between 8 and 18 will to some degree participate actively in role playing – and almost all boys will at some point in their childhood/youth be involved in this activity. It is estimated that the number is increasing.

An estimated 10.000 of these are members of actual live role-play societies, while the main part of the 100.000 conduct this hobby in their youth centres or in their leisure time.

As part of this project, a questionnaire was randomly distributed among youth centres (10% of Danish SFO’s and youth centres).The result of the questionnaire survey revealed that role-play activities take place in at least every 5 youth centre and that an average 15-20% of the children here are involved in these activities.

1.1 Live role-playing, this is how it works

Live role-playing is a play without a manuscript, often with a medieval theme. A group of actors define a common background world where the play takes place. The actors then, or in co- operation with the organizers, then define a role for themselves. The roles are then given goals, personalities, duties and assignments. When the game begins, it is then up to the individual players to develop and be that fictive person and decide how the story is to develop. Throughout the year, several events take place within live role-play. Here, children and youth from the age of 10 meet - and a few adults. The role-play world is generally driven by voluntary labour, and it is voluntary unpaid workers that arrange the role play events.

In live role-play, there are a number of characters that the participants can play. Each of these characters has its own getup and equipment. The getup is usually worn throughout the play.

Typical role-play characters are:

Orcs: wear masks or have latex ears and painted green face. May have latex teeth.
Elves: have latex ears (various colours, depending on the type of elf) and drawings in the face.
Hobbits: have latex ears and painted eyebrows.
Goblins: have latex noses and ears and are painted in the face.
Humans: there are no criteria for humans, but they may have scars or wounds
Dwarfs: have beard

Less typical role-play characters are:

Trolls: have latex ears and noses and are painted, e.g. blue. May have things glued to their hands
Nymphs: painted, signs in their faces and latex ears
Wolf people: painted grey and have gloves with claws and gloves with claws attached with latex.
Satyrs: have latex horns attached to their foreheads and hoofs in the shoes
Golems: have large getups the shape of a stone, but may also imitate mud or fire

A role-play event typically lasts on day from 10am to 3pm, but may also last for a whole weekend. The participants are therefore dressed up for many hours at a time, where ears and noses are attached all day, whereas masks are often taken off, since they are to hot to carry for a whole day.

Besides from the getup, many participants have role-play weapons. Before the event is started, all weapons are security checked by the event markers. Weapons typically comprise daggers, swords, bludgeons and axes. The weapons are made of latex and are either bough ready-made or are home-made. The home-made weapons may be made of sleeping pads and duct tape (duct-tape weapons).

An authentic environment is considered very important at role-play events. This applies to both getup and equipment. This means that for instance weapons made of different tape types or the like are not welcome.

Weapons and getups are not only used at role-play events, but are also part of children everyday life. During the past years, role play has emerged in the youth centres. Here, they produce weapons and equipment and perform live role-playing.