Improv Games List - Part 5

Welcome to the fifth part of our dive into improv exercises....

Four Square Emotion

• Aims: Explore and express different emotions.

• Instructions: Participants start a scene. The quadrants of the stage are marked out and labelled with a different emotion. When an improviser moves into that space they have to take on the emotion and continue the scene.

• Adaptations: Change the number of emotions or introduce specific scenarios for expression.

• Keywords: Emotions, Expression, Movement, Interaction, Creativity.

Emotional Switch

• Aims: Develop flexibility in emotional expression.

• Instructions: Two participants start a scene each with a different emotion. By the end of the scene they should have found a way to swap emotions.

• Adaptations: Introduce a time limit for scene duration or require specific emotional transitions.

• Keywords: Emotional Flexibility, Scene Work, Expression, Interaction, Improv.

You Look

• Aims: Encourage observational skills and character development.

• Instructions: One participant observes another and makes a statement about what they see, which inspires the other to create a character or action based on that observation.

• Adaptations: Limit the number of statements or create a theme for observations.

• Keywords: Observation, Character Development, Creativity, Interaction, Improv.

It’s Tuesday (I learned two completely different games called It's Tuesday, so if you are expecting a different description, apologies!)

• Aims: Foster spontaneity and scene development. Understand that how we react shapes the scene we can create.

• Instructions: One participant starts a scene with a simple, boring comment without any emotion e.g. "It’s Tuesday," and the other must choose a way to react to that initiation. Intense reactions are preferable.

• Keywords: Scene Development, Creativity, Spontaneity, Interaction, Improv.

Premise Lawyer

• Aims: Encourage creative thinking and quick responses.

• Instructions: One participant presents a ridiculous or unusual premise (e.g., “A world where everyone speaks in rhymes”). The “lawyer” must defend or elaborate on that premise, finding ways to make it plausible or entertaining.

• Adaptations: Change the complexity of the premises; allow for multiple lawyers to defend the same premise.

• Keywords: Creativity, Quick Thinking, Defence, Premise, Improv.

Walk As If

• Aims: Develop physical expression and character exploration.

• Instructions: Participants are given a specific characteristic (e.g., “walk as if you’re a giant” or “walk as if you’re on a tightrope”) and must move around the space embodying that trait.

• Adaptations: Introduce different scenarios or settings for the walks; combine multiple characteristics for a character mash-up.

• Keywords: Physicality, Character, Expression, Movement, Exploration.

Lines From Life

• Aims: Enhance observational skills and spontaneity.

• Instructions: Participants share real phrases or lines they’ve heard in everyday life, then improvise a scene based on one of those lines.

• Adaptations: Limit the number of lines shared or focus on specific themes.

• Keywords: Observation, Real Life, Spontaneity, Scene Work, Improv.