“Take a Chance” was created as part of the Day de Dada Performance Art Collective Game Night, where we took popular games and altered their content or format. I wanted to create a game based on chance. I used the structure and ideas of the Monopoly “Chance” cards in order to have people consider how the notion of chance could affect them economically or make them take a risk in interacting with other people.

Similarly to my previous work, I involved my audience members as a part of the actions that took place. I think performance which involves the audience member is most alive because it creates a feeling of “chance” or unpredictability for the performer and the audience, since the performer may not be sure of the background or knowledge of the audience participant. Problems with the performance thus occurred if the audience member became shy or disinterested once our interaction had begun.

Though they may not seem to have a big, immediate effect on a Monopoly game, chance cards can be risky and definitely affect the overall flow of a Monopoly game, just as in life where chance can throw you a good or a bad experience. My cards contain a combination of lucky and unfortunate circumstances which you don’t know until you draw the card.

“Take a Chance” involved me approaching people and asking if they wanted to play Monopoly with me, then explaining that it was only the chance card part and that they would draw a card and then do the action on the card. Each interaction lasted approximately three to five minutes.

Here is some of the actions on the cards:

The end is near, tell who’s in your will and what do they get?

Find a stranger, give them a hug

You have been elected Mayor, give a speech on your goals

Pay poor tax of $15, show us your sad face

From sale of stock you get $50,000, do the happy dance

There is a delay, cover your eyes and count to 20

The woman who got the card about the will was wearing a hat she had just been given by an older relative, so it got her thinking about how, in the future, she would want her belongings distributed. The woman who got the card about the delay seemed perturbed that she had drawn it and unenthusiastically did the action.