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FGTVLive: Live Videogame Reviews Explained Article

Further reading:
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
Epic Mickey
Portal 2
Limbo
Uncharted 3
Ratchet and Clank All 4 One
Mass Effect
Velvet Assassin

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Live videogame review show being filmed in Exeter theatre. A combination of videogame themed standup comedy, radioplays and songs offer an unusual (to say the least) hour of entertainment.

For the last five years the Game People videogame review website has been working with various artists to create unusual and creative responses to videogames. On 11th April at 12-1pm in The Bike Shed theatre we are unveiling our first public performance of these reviews. Tickets available for GBP5 each in limited numbers, 57 to be precise.

Fin Irwin, Co-director Bike Shed Theatre, was keen to help Game People put on the first-of-its-kind event. "BikeShed Theatre regularly supports innovative performances and was happy to support Game People's unusual approach to reviewing videogames with theatre, comedy and music."

Join us for a unique opportunity to engage with videogames in an unusual and, we hope, entertaining way. Tickets are available for GBP 5.00 from Bike Shed Theatre website.

Adam Moran and Nick Kenchington performs three videogame comedy sketches. As Adam puts it "What happens when you cross a piece of theatre with a game review? Something quite interesting, and a little bit nuts. My two imaginary reviewers, Fred and Bob, offer an unique (and slightly argumentative) insight into the world of videogames."

Rebecca Mayes performs two of her videogame songs. As she puts it "I am inspired by that edge where two distant and separate things meet. What I am interested in is the collision of my own creative world with the creativity of the gaming world. There is something about the gaming wonderland which challenges my understanding of what constitutes beautiful art. It's tempting to be something of a purist when it comes to art, and particularly my own art of creating music, but recently notions of possibility and process have been more important to me than clear-cut, polished beauty."

Chris Jarvis performs two of his videogame radio-plays. As he puts it "Traditional game reviewing tends to get caught up with obsession over graphics and control, without being able to explore their more intangible aspects. My radioplays I uncover my response to videogames that are hard to express through traditional criticism. Short stories express a message, whether that's through satire, homage or even as a parable and I've learned that analogies can be extremely powerful."

Fig 1. BikeShed Theatre.

The show offers a creative response to the following games:

• Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light: Lara Croft and the Guardian of Standards: About to set out on her latest adventure, Lara is joined by an unexpected companion.
• Epic Mickey: Dead Meg Beg No Scraps: Mickey lives in a high apartment building alone with his memories of being a star until an old flame walks back into his life and offers him a second shot at stardom. But, does it come at a price Mickey is not prepared to pay?
• Portal 2: Fred and Bob discuss Portal 2. Or as they like to call it, Now you see me, now you don't.
• Limbo: Fred talks Bob down from a fear of spiders in XBLA's Limbo.
• Uncharted 3: Bob persuades Fred into musical form for a sung review of Uncharted 3. Dum, de de dum.
• Ratchet and Clank All 4 One : Bob and Fred dig into some multiplayer Ratchet and Clank and finds things are not what they are supposed to be.
• Mass Effect: The Mirror: Mass Effect offers a homegenised humanity that I didn't really get along with. I wanted to sing a song that celebrated people's bodies for the unique individuals that they are. It will be interesting to see how Mass Effect 3 deals with all this..
• Velvet Assassin: Shadows: Rebecca Mayes sings a videogame review response.

Coverage

Children's Media Conference: Fancy a game review in song? Comedy and games mingle in this innovative show at Exeter's Bike Shed 11th April. http://t.co/npqz1Id5.

TEDx Exeter: Live videogame review show being filmed @BikeShedTheatre in #Exeter by @GeekDadGamer http://t.co/tZlLonAi #Devon

TEDx Exeter: "@mayesmuses: I'll be playing two songs at a live videogame review show @BikeShedTheatre #Exeter http://www.bikeshedtheatre.co.uk/whats-on/family-gamer-tv-live/ hope you can come!”

Justin McElroy: "I really wish I was near Exeter to see this: Video game reviews mounted as theatrical productions: http://bit.ly/H3Cj3C

Game City: Our friends @Game_People are hosting a night of theatre next month, which we're rather excited about. Details http://t.co/GF5cYspm

Written by Andy Robertson

You can support Andy by buying FGTVLive: Live Videogame Reviews Explained



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Andy Robertson writes the Family Gamer column.

"Videogame reviews for the whole family, not just the kids. I dig out videogame experiences to intrigue and interest grownups and children. This is post-hardcore gaming where accessibility, emotion and storytelling are as important as realism, explosions and bravado."

Here are the games I've been playing recently:

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