From Wiki - UK Role Players

Contents 1 Note 2 Introduction 3 The Game 3.1 This is not a game about football 3.2 Rules 3.2.1 Relationship Scenes 3.2.2 Group Scenes 3.2.3 Bullshit 4 The Scenario 4.1 Characters 4.1.1 Julia/Jules Mellor 4.1.1.1 Relationships 4.1.1.2 Questions 4.1.2 Melanie/Mel Jones 4.1.2.1 Relationships 4.1.2.2 Questions 4.1.3 Andy Mellor 4.1.3.1 Relationships 4.1.3.2 Questions 4.1.4 Dan Jones 4.1.4.1 Relationships 4.1.4.2 Questions 4.2 Act One 4.2.1 Scene 1 4.2.2 Scene 2 4.2.3 Scene 3 4.3 Act Two 4.3.1 Scene 1 4.3.2 Scene 2 4.3.3 Scene 3 4.4 Act Three 4.4.1 Scene 1 4.4.2 Scene 2 4.4.3 Scene 3 4.5 Epilogue 4.5.1 The Death 4.5.2 The Funeral

Note

This is still work in progress, feel free to PM me with comments or whatever, whilst I finish transferring everything up.

Introduction

AFC Chattercombe are just about hanging on to their place in the Conference National. They are proud of the fact that in their first season at the heady heights of the pyramid of non-league football they have managed to maintain a more or less full-time professional team for the first time in their history! Through some miracle they have also managed to stay just out of the relegation zone, and even more shockingly—especially to the owner—the team hasn't gone bankrupt yet.

The Game

This is not a game about football

The day to day struggle that is non-league football only provides the backdrop for this game. This game is about exploring the relationships between some of the people in and around the team. You can think of it as more of a non-league version of Footballer's Wives.

The game centres around two couples Jules & Andy and Mel & Dan and you will be exploring the relationships between each of them.

Rules

As a structured freeform The Not-So Beautiful Game has very few rules, but it does have a structure. The game is split into 3 acts with 3 scenes each and an epilogue. Each act consists of two relationship scenes and a final group scene.

Relationship Scenes

Each relationship scene explores the dynamic between a different pair of the characters. In the scenes there will only ever be the two characters that are being explored. Each scene comes with a predefined frame that one of the players should read. If any conflict should arise that can't be narrated through, it is up to the two players whose characters are not present to come up with the resolution.

Group Scenes

Group scenes come at the end of an act and explore the fall out of the two relationship scenes on the group as a whole, all four characters will be present. Again the scene has a predefined frame but it is much looser than the ones associated with the relationship scenes. Conflict in group scenes MUST be narrated through. It is important that nothing revealed in the relationship scenes is openly discussed in the group scenes but it should impact on how the characters treat each other, without directly addressing the issues.

Bullshit

If someone introduces weak, nonsensical or contradictory narrative to a scene, anyone can call bullshit and ask for it to be done differently. Do NOT use this to change the scene to get an outcome you want, do it only if the tone and drama of the fiction are actually being damaged.

The Scenario

Characters

Julia/Jules Mellor

Jules is a 23 year old English Literature teacher at the local college. After leaving school she studied for her A-Levels at the college, whilst everyone else she knew was doing vocational training. She knew she could never really afford to go to university or fit in as the first person on her whole estate to go, but through an intense regime of full-time study and 2 part time jobs she managed to earn herself a First in English Literature from the Open University.

Relationships

Andy 

You met Andy through Mel and Dan, and not long after were married. You've been married for 2 years and you still love him deeply, mainly because his childish side brings out your maternal instinct. You think he is wasting his time with football, as he is never going to be good enough to make it to the big time.

Mel 

You've been best friends since the first day of secondary school when she stood up for you against the other kids who were picking on you for being a "Ginga". She puts up with Mel's WAG lifestyle out of loyalty but you think she needs to grow up before the world forces her to.

Dan 

You were a bit suspicious of him when he first started going out with Mel, but you finally came around to realising that he might actually be good for her. He's been studying in your class at the college, a decision which you admire as he takes a lot of crap from the other players about it, but at least he is smart enough to realise he needs to do something about his future.

Questions

1. Why do you spend so much time helping Dan pass?
2. Why haven't you just told Andy to quit football?

Melanie/Mel Jones

Description...

Relationships

Dan 

Relationship

Jules 

Relationship

Andy 

Relationship

Questions

1. Who is the father of your unborn child?
2. Why are you jealous of Jules?

Andy Mellor

Description...

Relationships

Jules 

Relationship

Dan 

Relationship

Mel 

Relationship

Questions

1. Q1
2. Q2
3. Q3

Dan Jones

Description...

Relationships

Mel 

Relationship

Andy 

Relationship

Jules 

Relationship

Questions

1. How did you find out about the affair, and why haven't you told them or Jules?
2. Why do you fight so hard to keep Andy on the team?
3. What do you hope to do with the qualifications you are studying for?

Act One

Scene 1

Mel and Andy in bed at Mel's place - Andy tells Mel he wants to stop the affair

Scene 2

Jules and Dan after class at college - Jules asks dan if there is something on his mind as his work has been slipping and he is in danger of failing

Scene 3

All 4 go out for shopping and a meal at the local shopping centre

Act Two

The Lost Match after Andy is sent off

Scene 1

Andy and Dan in the changing rooms - Dan comes out of the Guv's office after convincing him not to drop Andy, Andy confronts Dan about why he always making him look bad and trying to get him off the team.

Scene 2

Jules and Mel in the club bar waiting for the boys - Mel asks Jules to fail Dan so that he can concentrate on his football

Scene 3

The boys arrive in the bar and they all spend some time talking about the match and having a few drinks

Act Three

The confrontations

Scene 1

Mel and Dan at home - Mel tells Dan she is pregnant

Scene 2

Jules and Andy at home - Andy tell Jules he's been having an affair but won't say with who

Scene 3

A planned for weeks end of season picnic out in the country

Epilogue

Everything changes. The players need to pick one of the characters that will die suddenly, how you come to the answer doesn't matter, you can discuss it, roll dice, have a secret ballot, whatever. If for some reason you cannot come to a decision Mel dies.

The Death

The character who dies decides how they die and narrate it, it can be anything they like as long as it is sudden and unexpected. They should also explore what the character's final thoughts are.

The Funeral

After the burial the three remaining characters are at the graveside. This is like a group scene except everyone can openly confront the issues that arose during the earlier relationship scenes.