Here’s an entry about another game whose name provides much of what you need to know.
The Basics
A scene is performed in which two different gibberish languages are used that may or may not be understood by one or more onstage characters. Think in terms of two foreigners (or two clumps of foreigners) meeting but not knowing much (if anything at all) of each other’s language.
Example
A scene takes place at a Parisian street café. Two players (A and B) are sitting at an outdoor table as two tourists (C and D) arrive with a crumpled city map.
Player C: (speaking in C/D gibberish while apologizing profusely for interrupting) “Tau nooti pa needu shaveen?”
Players A and B exchange a confused look, not having understood a word.
Player A: (to B in A/B gibberish, trying to solve the riddle of C’s request) “Kaneeca kee chazinga?”
Player B: (in response to A who they understood in regards to C who they did not) “Ikka nu bapa?”
Much to C’s confusion, Player B offers them some bread from the café table…
The Focus
A sense of character confusion is perhaps inevitable when exploring this dynamic. However, don’t let that diffuse your desire to communicate clearly. Make big choices and brave assumptions.
Traps and Tips
1.) Remember that you’re speaking a language… even if it happens to be a language that no one else can understand! Don’t let your speech acts become under-energized or contentless. It’s an important part of the concept that characters should want to understand each other. Using your full emotional and gestural range will help in this regard as well. Don’t fall into the trap of just being a (gibberish) talking head.
2.) Remember which language you’re speaking… even though it’s completely made up. I love playing in the configuration illustrated above as this gives each speaker a scene partner who does understand them (even while the audience does not). Player A’s tone and inflection while talking to their fellow countryman B should feel markedly different than when they’re trying to chat with C as a foreigner. It’s also a nice and helpful finesse for characters to use similar sounding gibberish as other speakers talking in the same “language” whenever you can.
3.) Remember that most of us recognize a few words in many different languages… even if that knowledge is limited, ill-informed, or just plain incorrect. Allow your characters this level of playful grace in the scene. When Player B randomly offers up some bread, does this word (or prop) provide a small opportunity for understanding or moving the exchange along a step. Be wary of turning the scene exclusively into a teaching dynamic and little more, even if a dash of this energy can prove useful. It’s also possible for characters to have different levels of familiarity with each other’s language. In this spirit, the previously silent Player D might later reveal that they know enough of A and B’s language to (correctly or otherwise) recognize a whispered insult or secret between the dining pair.
In Performance
I’ve seen this elegant yet simple conceit unlock some really engaging commentary on how we communicate (and don’t communicate) across language barriers. It can also level the playing field in terms of putting both “languages” on the same footing, which can diffuse the possibility of layering an “other” with xenophobic overtones.
If you’re less experienced with gibberish performance, consider mining my other blog posts for helpful strategies.
Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
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Photo Credit: Tony Firriolo
© 2023 David Charles/ImprovDr
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