games and lessons
What are the best ways to play THE QUESTIONS GAME? We have TWO games here. TWO?!?! BUT I ONLY PAID FOR ONE!!!THIS IS TWICE AS MUCH AS WHAT I”D HOPED FOR!! I hope it’s not too confusing that I am presenting them simultaneously. THE QUESTIONS GAME is coloured RED. THE Read more
AH-SO-KA!!! The Game of distraction and Focus I discovered this game from students when I was in teaching in Tokyo. I’m not sure where it actually came from or who created it. Whoever it was… they were cruel! (Let me know if it was you!) It’s a crazy little game. Read more
RED or BLUE or Decisions and Details 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 Read more
TIME FLASH The Game This is a simple technique used on stages around the world. Sometimes, it is used as a gimmick to mess with performers but SOMETIMES… it’s used with good intention – to address an ongoing problem with ACTION vs DISCUSSION! ((SHOW- DON’T TELL)). GAME: TIME FLASH ORIGIN: ShawnBENEFITS: Awareness of Read more
LET’S BEGIN Starting Points Most people get stuck starting scenes in the same way, over and over. Here are some alternate ways to begin… Reach out Your hands know where they are before your brain sorts it out Take a Walk Let your legs lead you to the place you Read more
Seeing Through Their Eyes DAY TO DAY IMPROVISATION is a collection of exercises anyone can do almost anywhere to practice their improvisation skills every day during their daily lives. In workshop after workshop I’m amazed to see improvisers pause before leaping into a scene as they try to figure out Read more
CONSEQUENCES! The Game All that we do has consequences… except when we improvise poorly. In real life someone enters a room and there’s a shift in body positions as people check to see who has arrived. People normally adjust their attitude based on the relationship. On stage, we don’t do Read more
Tension Roulette The Game of tension In an exploration of games to teach tension and suspense, I thought back to movies that had great moments of tension. The movie that came to mind was one that I saw in an old artsy movie theatre in Montreal called THE DEER HUNTER. The Read more
HITCHCOCK SUSPENSE! . Alfred Hitchcock points out that if a bomb unexpectantly explodes after five minutes of boring conversation, we have a shocking SURPRISE after the boredom. If the characters know that a bomb exploded at a nearby cafe yesterday and there MIGHT be another bomb in the city, then Read more
PREDICT IT! PREDICTIVE RESPONSES There’s nothing magical about expertly knowing the outcome of actions on stage… but it sure looks like it from the audience point of view. Let me explain: Paul is chopping food in the Kitchen. Anna walks in and says what most improvisers say, “Oh, you are Read more