Emotional Squares

Description

The stage is divided into four quadrants (the boundaries of which are not visibly drawn). The players (or host) get an emotion for each quadrant from the audience. The players start a scene, during which they assume the emotion of whichever quadrant (or quadrants) they are in. Players may move back and forth between quadrants at any time and in any order, and they are allowed to both be in the same quadrant at the same time.

Teaching Purpose

A fun way to get people used to playing scenes and helps students to learn to use the whole space when performing. This game is also a great way to play around with emotions in a scene and showing how having feelings in a scene creates relationships and narrative more easily and quickly. 

A lot of the time in real life, we feel something before we know why. Let your characters have fun finding the WHY!  

Additional Tips for Playing

• Use all four corners and swap between them regularly throughout the scene.
• Vary the time spend in each space. 
• Move around the space with purpose. 
• Let the emotions get to the highest level don’t hold back. 
• Really listen to your scene partner this will help you both build to the highest emotional level and where the fun really is!

Show Introduction

“This game is called Emotional Squares. The stage has been split into four squares. Each square has an emotion attached to it chosen by you. As the improvisers play the scene they will be taken on the emotion of square when they stand in them.”

Origin

No idea! It’s a very popular game so it seems to be played everywhere but we aren’t sure where it originally comes from. If you know please let us know and we’ll add it here.

Categories

This exercise is in the following categories:

Emotional offers

Playing in the space

Spontaneity

Support and Teamwork

Escalating / Heightening

Short-Form Games

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

If you would like to receive our monthly newsletter containing helpful improv resources, improv exercises, casting calls for new shows and news about the UK improv scene please subscribe.

You can also follow us on our facebook group, facebook page, twitter and instagram.

Hoopla are the UK’s first improv theatre and the UK’s biggest improv school with fun and friendly improv shows and classes every day of the week in London and across the UK. We provide fantastic ongoing performing opportunities to students from our courses and a warm, welcoming and supportive community to help make improv for everyone.