Sorry, Can We Start Again?

Italian Improviser and manic mathematician Peppe Marchei, proposed a game the other day that is worth looking at. If any of you play with this, please send us your thoughts and  help Peppe develop it further.

Peppe writes:  “I proposed (the game) yesterday. The class seemed very responsive to the structure in a positive way. They started to be more relaxed, more open to opportunities and really listened to their partners (probably because they know they might have to repeat the same scene many times…).

Any thoughts or comments? 

GAME: SORRY, CAN WE RESTART?

ORIGIN: Peppe Marchei – inspired by the game LINE from Shawn Kinley

BENEFITS: 

• Awareness
  of the moment when we start to disconnect during a scene;
• play in a
  more confident way;
• understand what our partner would love to play in
  that moment 

# PEOPLE: 2 or more (can be adapted to groups)

GOAL: Recognize moments of disconnection with the players

PROCEDURE: 

1. Players start a scene,
2. When any player recognizes a moment of
   disconnection, they can stop the scene by saying “Sorry, can we restart?“
3. The Improvisers restart the scene from the start, more or less, playing the same things they have just played (some accuracy is needed but they can play around essential parts of the scene) until they reach the moment the restart was called. They try together to move scene beyond that point. 
4. At any moment a “Sorry can we restart?” can be played again and they follow same procedure. 

IMPORTANT: You should play the SORRY, CAN WE RESTART? line driven by your impulse and instinct. You should not know what you would like to have in scene, just recognize something is happening in the relationship between players and invite in good spirit your partners to try again, try again, try again…