Run for your life!

>> Montreal Manhunt brings the
thrill of the hunt to bored urbanites

BEST TO KEEP MOVING: One possible hiding spot

by ERIK LEIJON

In the fear-dominated post-9/11 world, it feels refreshingly rebellious to run manically through a busy downtown intersection at sunset with an orange band tied around your right arm. There are many ways to misconstrue a game that promotes hiding in unsavoury dark alleys or taking refuge under a bench in a children’s playground, but the hide-and-seek inspired Manhunt Montreal, after one year of existence, remains a bastion of incongruity and peaceful anarchy in a society of increasing conformity and apprehension.

Last April 14, the corner of Laval and Prince-Arthur, an area typically known for its Greek restaurants and famished clubbers, was transformed into something out of Logan’s Run: 30 minutes of blood-racing paranoia, feverish pacing and a constant sense of impending doom. Around two-dozen willing, college-aged participants donned the obligatory orange armband and joined the bi-weekly hunt.

Hide, seek, drink

The first Manhunt was created out of boredom and the desire for an inexpensive outdoor activity. The inaugural hunt was held at Carré St-Louis, and it has returned there several times, including for the April 14 first anniversary. The location has changed several times, for a Canada Day Place-Jacques-Cartier run and a recent St. Patrick’s Day parade goose-chase on Ste-Catherine, but this urban version of the popular kids’ game has retained a simple set of rules, and remains free.

At a designated gathering place within an approximately five-block area, players wrap their arm with an orange band and one person volunteers to be the hunter. The players then have two minutes to scour the busy streets, back alleys and public areas for a hiding place, although early on it will become evident that it’s in one’s best interest to keep moving. “Besides, it’s just not as fun to spend the entire time hiding under a bush,” says co-organizer Amy Luft. “Some are runners, and some would rather hide in a corner to smoke and drink beer. I haven’t played a game yet where I haven’t had to sprint.”

After two minutes, the hunter is sent to find the ill-fated prey, and anyone who gets tagged will become a hunter as well. Other than the original hunter, it’s impossible to know who else may have tagging ability, so once the game begins, a player can only assume that everyone is “it” and a deep-seated panic kicks in. Since some players run faster than others, those who are less fleet-of-foot will attempt to levy a psychological advantage over their foes. “I deal in deception,” says Robin Friedman, Manhunt’s resident psy-ops expert. “I watch people’s body languages and usually with the new people I can tell if they’ve been tagged or not. I can play with their heads.”

It’s not just the players who can become confused; interaction with perplexed strangers who have unknowingly walked into the war-zone also poses a challenge. “The question, ‘Who are you and what are you doing?’ comes up very often,” says Phil Paynter, one of the game’s original creators. “I’ve had strangers confidently tell each other as we run by, ‘Oh, they’re doing it for cancer.’ Cops are a bit warier; some warn us we shouldn’t be running, and some say it sounds fun and we should watch out. People have just joined in too.” It’s not uncommon for strangers to help out the hunters by pointing them in the right direction, which Paynter thinks says a lot about society.

“IT” OR NOT? Manhunter and confused civilians

New look at old haunts

Luft says it’s important that the game not bother strangers, but recalls a few incidents where common sense has been trumped by fear. A funny misunderstanding occurred when a participant hid under a self-made blanket of newspapers in a playground, only to have a group of frightened children call the police.

In one year of manhunting, Luft and Paynter have developed an appreciation for the numerous nooks and crannies Montreal has to offer. The parking lots of the McGill ghetto now feel more spacious and inviting, and the dingy alleys near St-Laurent and Ste-Catherine are littered with dumpsters and homeless people to hide behind. Paynter says even the Plateau seems different.

“I lived on Coloniale for five years and had never explored that neighbourhood as thoroughly as I have being chased down its alleys,” he says.

To participate in the next Montreal Manhunt,
visit manhuntmontreal.wordpress.com