RED OR BLUE – the GAME

Lately I’ve noticed MANY improvisers getting stuck at the point when decisions should happen. AND those who can make decisions rarely know what to do with their choice. SO… I’m taking an old game (well a year-old game called LEFT OR RIGHT) and revising it so you can get some practice playing with decisions and details. I hope it helps.  This exercise can be played with anyone anywhere. Onstage and off.

GAME: RED or BLUE (or Decisions and Details)

ORIGIN: Shawn – based on the game LEFT OR RIGHT

BENEFITS: Quick decision making. Awareness that the answer doesn’t have to be “RIGHT”, Becoming Brave (offering detail)

# PEOPLE: 2 (can be adapted to groups)

GOAL: Respond to choices and justify without hesitation

PROCEDURE: 

1. Partner one gives quick choices, 
2. Partner two picks one quickly. (It doesn’t matter which. If you are intuitively drawn to one or the other, pick that one.)
3. Partner one asks “WHY?”
4. Partner two confidently answers.  Make up anything. No hesitation.

EXAMPLE: 

———— EXAMPLE ONE
Partner 1: RED OR BLUE?

Partner 2:  RED

Partner 1: WHY

Partner 2: Because it reminds me of blood!

———— EXAMPLE TWO

Partner 2: Germany or Canada?

Partner 1: Canada

Partner 2: Why?

Partner 1: Because I like to snowboard on the weekend

VARIATION: 

– The partner offering the choice creates more choices. The receiving partner makes another decision but this time links their answers to previous choices.

 In the first example above, 

((Partner 1: RED OR BLUE?

Partner 2:  RED

Partner 1: WHY

Partner 2: Because it reminds me of blood!  ))

Partner 1 continues and randomly asks, MEN OR WOMEN? 

Partner 2 says WOMEN. 

Partner one asks, WHY? 

Partner 2 says “It tastes better when I wake up from my coffin.”    —- (Ahhhh – now we are talking about a vampire story)

IMPORTANT: You DON’T NEED TO KNOW THE ANSWERS WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR CHOICES.  BE BRAVE AND LEAP INTO THE WATER BEFORE YOU KNOW WHAT’S BENEATH THE SURFACE.  There will be something, and that will be good enough.