Scene and Character Walkabout Description Everyone walks around the room. The teacher asks them to stop and pair up with the closest person next to them. The teacher gives a suggestion of a type of character, emotion or location for a scene. Everyone plays that scene simultaneously with their partner. After a minute or so[…]
Space Jump Description One person starts a scene by themselves on stage. When the host says “JUMP” they freeze and hold position. Someone else then comes in and starts a new scene inspired by that position. Scene continues until host says “JUMP” and then someone else enters and a new scene starts with 3 people.[…]
Repeat and Add Description One person says a line, their partner repeats the line and then adds information in keeping with the line. The first person then repeats the new information and adds more, etc. Subscribe to Our Newsletter If you would like to receive our monthly newsletter containing helpful improv resources, improv exercises,[…]
Storyteller Die Description All the cast stood in a line. Whoever is pointed to says the story. When someone else is pointed to they take over exactly where they left off. If they don’t follow on or stumble the audience shout DIE and that actor leaves with a bow.
Taxi Driver Description One improviser plays a ‘big’ character who drives a taxi (an alien, a vampire, an ancient being, a psychopath, etc – they choose). The other improviser steps into their cab playing very close to themselves. They cannot get out of the taxi… At the end of the scene, the passenger becomes a[…]
Is there any more? Description We originally were taught this by Kevin Tomlinson. Here’s an example of it: Brian – does small sound and action Sarah – That’s great! Brian – Thank you Sarah – Is there anymore? Brian – Yes! Escalates his original sound and action. Sarah – That’s great! And it continues repeating[…]
Ad Game Description Five players have several tasks to complete during a scene set in an enthusiastic advertising agency. Every idea that gets set is immediately and enthusiastically agreed with and supported. They must agree on the name of a product, tagline of the product, who would be the celebrity endorsing the product, what would[…]
Anecdotes Descriptions Three improvisers (can be more than three) play characters that have been best friends since they were kids. They will tell the audience about an event that happened to all three of them together and everyone can remember it and was in their right mind. Get a suggestion of what it was (when[…]
Book Club Description Two improvisers have a book each from the audience and all their lines of dialogue come from those. The third person makes sense of those lines in the context of the scene. A location or relationship call-out helps at the beginning. Example Player A (No book): Thanks for helping me out today […]
Character Interview Description Have one person sits on a chair in front of the audience. Ask them to play any character they choose and interview them. 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[…]
Cocktail Party Description Six people sit in pairs on stage as if seated at different tables at a restaurant. Each pair is given a topic of conversation (something broad like pets, holidays or transport). They are asked not to make anything up, but to have a real conversation as themselves. They don’t need to pretend[…]
Enter and Exit Description Four actors are given cue words (a colour, a number, an animal, an object); one each. Two actors start on stage and the other two in the wings. When you hear your cue word, you enter the stage if you are off and exit the stage if you are already on.[…]