Human Prop
All audience participation games are great. In fact, most of our away shows consist of prodding audience members up in front of their peers and making fun of them in some way or another.
Human Prop, however, burst the safety bubble of everyone, audience participant or not. The humor becomes multi-layered; much more complex as both actor and audience explore the taboo of touching a complete stranger, and ultimately using them as an object.
Now I’m a hugging type, some might think that’s kinda weird, but any time I see something like a sign with the words ‘Free Hugs’ written on it, I’ll be the first to jump on a bargain, even at the risk of getting pick-pocketed or shanked. And seeing a willing participant forming themselves into my motorcycle, door or tool-belt, instantly announces their confidence and comfort with me, and with themselves. Better yet, if they are not into the metaphoric trust fall then the game is guaranteed to be fun as we peer-pressure a normally reserved individual into a comedic keystone.
Our society needs more games like this. If only I could fill up my car with a make-shift human pump-station equipped with human-arm pump and a friendly smile where I lodge my credit card, and mumble, all the while, about rising gas prices. I might not mumble so much knowing that I got some form of human contact, and my credit wasn’t wasted on a machine with no feelings or interests in fulfilling their service.
The new revolution people! Replace robots with humans!