Description

Fantoccini - The Game of Living Theater

Fantoccini is "an adult party game for three to eight couples. In addition to providing mature entertainment, Fantoccini has value in the learning process for college and theater drama groups, and in institutions where the acting-out of conflicts or 'play acting' is a desired form of therapy."

Game consists of: "Gameboard with the scene area in the center, the revision wing at the left, and the score sheet on the right; 150 scene cards with green, blue, or yellow backing which color-correspond to columns on the board's scene area; 180 player cards player cards with red backing which color-correspond to the red columns on the board's scene area; 36 square revision cards; two Grand Thespian Certificates; and 16 Fantoccini invitation tickets, each admitting a couple to your party. These properties will allow for two complete Fantoccini parties."

"The object of Fantoccini is to become Grand Thespian...the first player who has filled all 12 squares on the scoresheet by acting 6 times, having Authored twice, having been Wardrobe Lady twice, and having been Critic-Censor twice."

Players write their names on the blank side of 6 red cards. The revision cards are dealt equally to all players. Each color-coded deck is shuffled separately and placed face down. Place scene and player cards face down on the first free row of the scene area in the proper colors (green, red, blue, red, blue, red, blue, yellow).

Reveal the scene by turning over the cards on the row, announcing the scene as it unfolds. The green card establishes where the scene is played. The red and blue cards define the actor and their role (duplicate red cards are replaced with another red card so that there are 3 different actors). The green card establishes the players' motivation. For example, In a bomb shelter, Bob (a prim spinster of 30), Marge (a raspy throated dice player) and Hank (a politician) are saving a life. The three actors go into another room and prepare the scene (should run 2 - 3 minutes).

Players bid for Author (may reassign roles or replace a scene card), Wardrobe Lady (provides costume items) and Censor-Critic (an arbiter of whether or not the scene will be played and judge of the scene's quality based on audience response and the critic's opinion).

The scene is played (or not, based on the Critic), evaluated and participation tallied. Lay out a new scene face down on the next free row and continue with new scenes until a player tallies all 12 squares on the wipe-off score area and is declared the Grand Thespian.