Trust me, it’s a forward! (TMF) Bengaluru-based theatre artist Karen D’Mello’s intriguing tabletop game is an interactive piece that focuses on trust in an age of disinformation and misinformation.

The performance transports participants to a bustling, fictional society located beneath a turbulent ocean, where various factions face crises and make crucial decisions.

The game involved nine participants from different age groups who were given images and audio describing the scenario – they were living on a moon orbiting a gaseous giant planet far from the heliosphere. A lush ocean was hidden on the moon prone to lightning storms and the participants were living in a sub-aquatic station bound by ice, housing about 20,000 inhabitants.

Having lost contact with Earth centuries ago, the inhabitants had forgotten their original purpose. Each participant receives a numbered card, assigning them a character such as a doctor, a cetologist, or a metalworker. The game consisted of six rounds, each of which had three phases: the game master asked a question, players answered affirmatively or negatively, and then earned or lost tokens depending on their answers.

Next, participants received pouches containing red and blue tokens, which were important to the outcome of the game. Winning a round meant drawing a red token while losing meant drawing a token at random without looking at it. Participants listened to an audio clip at the beginning of each round and analyzed the cards to understand the situation.

The majority vote determines the outcome of the round, with those giving the correct answer receiving a red token and moving on. In the final round, the participants debate whether to send a signal to Earth or rebuild the camp. Ultimately, three of the nine participants survive and win the game.

According to Karen D’Mello, the game’s purpose was to create a space where individuals who might not have the opportunity to formally connect with each other could interact. Despite being strangers working in the same digital isolation, they must handle the same information in different ways.

“I wanted to do two things with TMF: first, take it out of the digital world and bring it into the analog space. This was done in the hope that it would provide a different way of looking at the same thing; to find out if it provides a new perspective when the medium changes.”

“The second was to set the game in a fantasy world where you have to play a role, whether you’re connected to it or not. Of course, having fun and enjoying the process was also part of it.”

TMF in progress by Karen D’Mello | Photo credit: special arrangement

The theme focused on building trust in shared spaces and participants were asked how they related to the game. For most, it reminded them of the pandemic and how, while going with the flow, one had a tendency to forget one’s main objectives.

When asked about the inspiration behind creating the game, Karen explained, “The game format is not necessarily new. However, by “creative intervention” I mean a broader connection with other activities people do. As a theatre maker, I don’t want to be limited to any one form. I wanted to explore innovative ways to address issues such as misinformation, information overload and information data systems.”

Karen D’Mello | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

“The game is an intervention that encourages participants to activate as many of their senses as possible, immerse themselves completely, have fun, and come together as a collective whole. This aspect of coming together is something I deeply value and learn from theatre.”

About her experience developing the game, Karen said, “We are a theatre company that does creative work, but we are also trying to see what our creative interventions can do. I have never worked on a game, so we teamed up with Studio Oleomingus, an independent art studio run by Dhruv Jani and Sushant Chakraborty in Chala, Gujarat.”

TMF in progress by Karen D’Mello | Photo credit: special arrangement

TMF combines elements of game design and theatre production, created within a two-month timeframe. Karen said that while the game’s setting remains static, its dynamics are always evolving, providing a new experience each time. “While it is challenging to replicate the game exactly due to its complex algorithms, people can modify it and create their own version.”

Karen said that while there are no plans to pursue this format, the team is working on another version of the game.

in the next session Trust me, it’s a forward! The event will be held on June 8 at Goethe-Institut, Indiranagar at 11 am and 4 pm. Interested parties need to fill a Google form, which is available on theatre group Kathasiyah’s Instagram handle @kathasiyah.