Scene Carousel A helpful exercises for helping people getting used to doing improvised scenes in front of an audience. 6 people up, 3 on each side of the stage, or any other number really. 2 step into the middle of the stage and are given a suggestion to improvise a scene from. When the teacher[…]
Party Planning / Picnic Basket Two similar games that illustrate the difference between blocking and Yes-Anding. Two improvisers take it in turns to offer ideas for a party, as part of a party planning conversation. In the first round each idea is said no to and rejected. We then have a chat about how it[…]
Circle of Extraordinary Coincidences Description Have one person do an abstract sound and motion. As soon as they do, another person goes over to them and joins in. Someone else initiates a different abstract sound and motion and a second person joins them. As soon as this starts, the first creation stops. This way, lots[…]
Action and Entrance Description A lovely simple way of starting scenes and very helpful for people doing longer scenes for the first time. One person enters the stage and starts doing an activity. Someone else then enters the stage with an emotion and establishes a relationship with the other actor. Make sure the first move[…]
Sevens Description A circle game in which numbers 1-7 are passed around the circle; each is accompanied by a tap on one of your own shoulders. Which shoulder you tap determines what direction the count goes in. The number seven is different: you must raise two hands pointing in different directions, the top hand determines[…]
Eastenders Description Fun warm up based on a London soap opera. The group stands in a circle. Various things are passed around the circle from person to person in order, each thing said below has a different rule attached: ‘AVE IT! – passed around from person to person with an arm swing. OI! – changes[…]
Clingy Penguin Description Have two lines of improvisers. The first line pick an emotion/adjective/describing word and role each (like clingy penguin). They then pass these to the person next to them in secret. Now play scenes where each person embodies the characters they were given with one other player who has no given character. Switch[…]
Blanks Steal a Car Description A scene with three people in a car. Once they’ve done a bit of a scene, one of them says “Oh no, that bunch of [blank] are going to steal this car!” New improvisers enter in character, take over the car and the idea repeats. Subscribe to Our Newsletter[…]
Rubber Chicken/Crazy Eights Description Stand in a circle. As one, everyone takes one foot off the floor and shakes it eight times, chanting the numbers out loud (one, two, three, four…). Switch and do the same with the other foot. Switch to one hand. Switch to the other hand. Immediately repeat but now only up[…]
Stand on the Line Description This game works best moving on from Come Over Here If. One person indicates that one corner represents one thing and the opposite corner another; i.e. “Over here is Lord of the Rings, over here is Harry Potter”. People then stand relative to what’s true for them. If you liked[…]
Story of Your Name Description A great getting to know you game! Simply go around the circle and asking everyone how they got their name. It makes names more memorable and helps people get to know one another. Start by telling the story of your own name. Reassure people that it doesn’t need to be[…]
Thunderdome Description Two people go into the middle of the circle as everyone chants “Thunderdome! Thunderdome! Thunderdome!” The players are given a category (types of cake, makes of car, holiday destinations). They take turns to name something in the category. If they fail to come up with something, they leave the circle. Everyone chants ‘Thunderdome’[…]