Priest of the Parish

Priest of the Parish

Team, Non-Active, Chairs

Time - Medium (10 minutes)

Group Size - any

Equipment Needed - chairs

Split the group up into teams of between 3 and 5. Set chairs up in rows equal to the number of teams, with half the rows facing the other half. Each team sits in a row, linking arms, with one of the rows at the front designated Team 1, Team 2 opposite them, Team 3 opposite them, and so on.

The game is based around phrases and responding in the correct manner. All players on a team have to move and speak in time, and must say the same team number they accuse. When speaking, a team stands up, and then sits down immediately when finished. A team cannot accuse the team that accused them.

The leader then begins the game by saying:

“The priest of the parish has lost his socks,” (this can be any object, often played for humour) “Some say this, and some say that, but I say it was group number 1.” (any team can be the starting team)

Team 1: “No sir not I sir!”

Leader: “Then who sir?”

Team 1: “Group number 2 sir!”

Team 2: “No sir not I sir!”

Team 1: “Then who sir?”

Team 2: “Group number 3 sir!”

Team 3: “No sir not I sir!”

This continues until a team makes a mistake, by either not saying the same team or not standing and sitting in unison. The team that made a mistake moves to the back of the group and becomes the lowest ranked team, while everyone else moves up a spot. The aim is to end the game as Team 1.

For variety, the leader can use a funny voice to start the game, which everyone must copy.

For more experienced groups, the leader can ban communicating through hand gestures, which is a common tactic, or decree that teams cannot accuse the same group twice in a row, to avoid the same groups being called.