h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

There is a game that is like Charades, but instead of acting out a phrase you draw it. I can't remember the name, but I'm nearly certain it begins with the letter P (Three syllables )

Anyway I was at a professional training course a few years ago, with consultants attending from all around the world. I was up on stage, and the topic I was given was the fairly innocuous title of "Vodka and Orange". Ok - I tried to draw a screwdriver, but that just left most people baffled. So I tried an alternative approach - connecting Vodka to Russia. I tried to draw the hammer and sickle but it didn't hit home either. So then, much to my eternal regret, I started to draw a picture of the Red Square in Moscow.

I drew what I thought were the turrets of St. Nicholas's Church (that's the one on Red Square, isn't it?), but as I was finishing it all I could hear were guffaws from the 60 odd people in the class. When I looked back again, I hadn't exactly drawn the turrets correctly. Instead of looking like Russian spires they looked like, well, take a look at the picture of the mushrooms on this page and you get the idea.

I nearly died of embarrassment.

Woodpigeon

Pictionary! That's the one! (And it's 4 syllables)

If you want to try an online version of Pictionary, go to: http:\\www.isketch.net.

Ah, that's brought back happy memories of rolling on the floor laughing during a University house game of charades....

A rather prim housemate tried to do a "sounds like" for Yanks, but couldn't watch and had to cover her eyes with her free hand as she mimed.