My favourite games, as participant and teacher in drama classes are all, most *definitely* in the ultra-ultra-otherwise category !

If you want a bit of nonsense, you can scarcely do better than get a group of like-minded souls together to play "The Court of the Sacred Dido". All sit cross-legged, straight-backed, poker-faced, on the floor in a circle. One person is nominated (or nominates themselves!) as "The Most Honoured and Ultra-Beautiful/Handsome President", (or whatever other title they wish ) and must always be addressed as such by the others, who must stand and bow when invited by the President to speak. The others are then numbered, by the President, as "Brother 1", "Brother 2", "Sister 1" etc. etc. The Rules of the Court are simple: participants must sit straight, hands on knees, and *keep a straight face* throughout. Participants also keep a look out for others who are not following these rules, and alert the President's attention to this. The President decides what forfeits are to be paid for any misdemeanours. The President needs to be able to keep up the seriousness and formality (Anne Robinson style). Participants soon become very incoherent and silly (with or without alcohol).

Another of my favourite anti-corpsing games is "I Love You Honey". One member of group walks up to another and says "I love you, honey, but I just can't smile" and they reply "I love you, too." The first person has to walk in a way which is not their usual walk and talk in a way which is not their usual accent/way of speaking, and the person replying must mimic this, in all cases with both people keeping a totally straight face and looking each other in the eye. Any twitch or quiver and you are out of the game (or pay a forfeit).

Hmmmmm, I hear you say. Believe me, if you get a group of people daft enough to play along with this, these games are brilliant. I have plenty more, but will save for another time - for example, an improvisation game called "Secrets and Obsessions"........

- jeanie