Improv
Here are some improv games you can play!
Soundscapes
Rules:
Four volunteers. Two students tell a story to the audience; three students are in charge to make the sounds for the story. If one of them plays the piano, that can work as one of their sounds as well.
Students have two minutes to plan the direction of the play. Everyone in the audience must close their eyes and lower their heads onto their laps, so that they can only hear the story and the sounds.
Objective:
Drama is not only action and phrases. The noises -- such as rustling, barking, cars driving, etc. can all become a part of the story. So much of cinema is based on sound. This activity allows students to connect with this.
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The Oracle
​Rules:
Three volunteers from the audience sit on three chairs, close together, facing the audience; a cover is placed over their bodies (can be a piece of cloth or one of their jackets) so that they look like one creature with three heads.
Teacher announces as follows:
"Everyone, BEHOLD the amazing Oracle!!! The Oracle is a supreme being. With its three heads, it can see far into the future! Ask any question and it will answer you truthfully.
The answers will be given one word at a time, one head at a time!
Sometimes the answers are very long, but they are always gramattically correct, even if they can seem nonsensical -- it is up to YOU to interpret them!"
After about 5 minutes, the Oracle sits down and a new Oracle is chosen.
Objectives:
To learn how to follow the lead of an idea. To respect ideas from friends and their thought process (no whispering, "Say this say that" from the other heads).
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Family Slideshow
​Rules:
Ask for two volunteers to come to the front of the audience. They should sit on two chairs, side by side, but to the side of the stage.
Ask for 4 to 6 more volunteers. They should stand for starters in the middle and wait.
The two volunteers who are sitting down are showing a slideshow of their vacation.
They will describe the slides, one at a time.
As they describe the slide, the other volunteers have to make the scene (like a tableau) and freeze. For instance, "That's grandma eating clam chowder in the restaurant. That's grandpa and me, and our dog sparky." All the players have to create that scene, no matter what the scene says.
Objectives:
To trust others and go with the flow; speed, to act fast and assume the personality and places of things and people that are described; how to freeze properly, engaging the facial expressions as well as the body.
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The Onion
​Rules:
This is a hard one, but very good. You will need six volunteers.
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This game starts with one student playing a monologue about anything. The other five students watch. When one of them had a good idea, they can interrupt the monologue, but it MUST be to start a completely different play. The two will play a bit and then the third one will join, and change the play again. This goes on until the final play starts, and the six players participate.
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Then comes the most difficult part -- one by one, players remove themselves. The five players have to return to the five person play. The four players will return to the four player play. So on and so forth, until you are left with the continuation of the original monologue.
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So, it's like 6 plays in one.
Objectives:
Memory, timing, giving others a chance to shine.
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Flock Dance
​Rules:
Students arrange themselves in a “flying V” with one person at the front of the stage and the others staggered behind them, like a flock of birds.
Player at the front begins leading a dance (either to a stereo or to music that they hum or sing themselves).The other players follow the leader, duplicating their movements as closely as possible.
After 15-20 seconds (or when the song changes, if you’ve got a stereo and a “DJ”), a new leader moves into the front until each player has had a chance to try leading.
Objectives:
To attack and commit to the moment; to be aware of leadership and to take initiative; to let go of habitual physicality and be aware of physical offers; to share the stage.
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​Word Ball
Word Ball is the first step in adding language into impulse work by way of free association. This game asks players to vocalize their first impulse without hesitation.
Rules:
Students get in to circles of 5-10 standing facing the center. One player starts by saying a word to another player within the circle. The player that receives the word will immediately call out their first impulse without hesitation to another player. Continue the circuit.
Objective:
To connect players to their impulses and to free players from the perceived necessity to be creative.
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Alternatives: Words can't be related; Words must relate to the word from the person two words away, before you; words must relate; etc.
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Bus Stop
Bus stop helps students come up with reactions and improvise.
Rules:
Two students come to the bus stop (sitting on two chairs in front of the audience). The student on the left must make the student on the right uncomfortable enough so that they will leave. The student on the right must come up with a gopod excuse to leave the bus stop. The student who acted obnoxiously will now play the part of a normal, calm individual, and a new student will come and try to make them uncomfortable.
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Yes, Let's
Rules:
Players find a space in the room. A moderator asks the group to do an activity by calling out “Lets _____.” The group, in unison, all respond by shouting out “Yes, Lets!” The players then proceed to explore the activity physically. When the moderator feels the activity has been fully explored the moderator calls out another activity.
Objectives:
To explore the entire physical environment of an activity.
Hunted and Hunter
Rules:
A player is chosen to be the hunter and another to be the hunted. They will be blindfolded. The rest of the class are helpers; they can either help the hunter, or help the hunted escape.
Emphasis is given to safely touching each other, being careful with the environment and not to get people to trip and fall, and how to silently guide people throughout the space.
Objectives:
To become better listeners and able to be physical while also being respectful.
​Three Noses
Rules: Students walk loosely around the room, with no specific pattern or aim.
The director or a chosen caller will announce a number and a body part (remind students to keep it clean and possible), for example, “3 noses!”
Students must then group up and touch the called body parts together (safety first!).
This can manifest in lots of different ways, for example: “4 right legs,” can be different than “4 legs.” Challenge your players.
Objectives:To get physically warmed up; to connect with other students in the room and to be aware of space can be shared on stage; to joyfully and generously work together to achieve goals; to accept offers of all kinds, whether physical, verbal or otherwise.
Woosh - Woah
Rules:
Students stand in a circle.
They are instructed to pass a “whoosh” around the circle, which travels through their fingertips and voices to the player to their left.
Once the whoosh has traveled around a few times, introduce the idea of “Whoa,” which is produced by holding up your hands to block a “Whoosh.” When someone says, “Whoa,” the “Whoosh” must switch directions and go the opposite way.
After the students adapt to this, further actions are as follows: Ramp, which is sent over the head of the next player, skipping that player and landing on the next one; Tunnel, which causes the next three players to turn sideways (creating a tunnel through their legs) and landing the next Whoosh four players over; Volcano, which causes all players to run to the middle and erupt outwards and back into the circle, continuing the Whoosh from the last position; Banished!, in which a player points to another and “banishes” him or her from the circle. The banished student then finds a new place in the circle. (Banished can also be used when a student misses a pass or fumbles.)
Objectives:To mentally warm up; to make offers and “sell” them; to fail joyfully; to accept offers and to find the games within the game; to connect to your fellow players through a shared game experience.
Possible calls: Banana; Peppa pig; whale mating season; bear mating season; volcano; dance party; ramp; LINE; conga; domino; wave; Naruto;
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Knight, Mount, Cavalier
Students get into pairs of Player A and Player B.
The Director will call out one of three physical poses, either Knight, Mount or Cavalier, which are as follows:
Knight: Player A gets down on one knee. Player B puts one foot on Player A’s knee and one hand in the air, is if brandishing a sword high.
Mount: Player B gets on all fours as a horse would; Player A mounts Player B like a rider.
Cavalier: Player A extends his/her arms; Player B jumps into Player A’s arms like a damsel (or dude-damsel) in distress.
Students must hold and support each pose until the Director calls a new one.
Objectives:To physically attack an offer or impulse (but not your scene partner), to share space and focus, and to find the joy in physical scenework.
Have you heard about Sally/Sully?
In groups of 5 or 6, students select a Sally or Sully, and start to gossip about them.
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The Sally/Sully has to incorporate whatever attributes given by the group; for instance, have you heard that Sally is always falling over her own feet? Yes, but have you heard how she giggles about everything? Now the player has to fall AND giggle at the same time, and so on and so forth. Every minute or so, we switch the Sally.
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Objective: Accepting characteristics given by the group.
Headlines
Rules:
Students stand in a circle.
The director may offer a word or suggestion to get going, but they don’t have to.
A student initiates by speaking a headline-style phrase. For example, “Bear bites forest ranger in National Park.”
The player to that student’s left will say another headline, using the last word of the previous headline as inspiration. This should happen very quickly, and without stumbling. “Park gets new swing set; children happy.” “Happy babies 10% more productive, study says,” and so on.
Continue around the circle, aiming for speed and impulse connection, rather than cleverness or witty headlines (though they will definitely happen on their own).
Objectives:
To connect to word association-based impulse and find the benefit in connecting to simple words and phrases, as this is often the basis for good scenework. To free students from their own minds and the idea that it’s wit/cleverness that governs good narrative work.
Corridors
Rules:
Students form a backline.
The director gives the players a theme, like Christmas or Recreation.
The director asks half of the group to step forward.
Simultaneously, the players perform an action and a line of dialogue that corresponds with the given theme.
The first group steps back and the remaining players step forward and do the same thing until the director believes the theme has been exhausted, at which point he or she gives them something new to explore.
Objectives:To commit to the moment; to respond to offers quickly and on impulse.