I first learned this game as 60, 30, 15, 7, but that title now feels a little clumsy (and might unhelpfully telescope the final payoff), so now it’s Half Life for me!
The Basics
A one-minute scene is crafted based on an audience suggestion (something that will tend to nudge the players into physical action and activity is the norm). Once completed, the host or caller instructs the team to repeat the same scene in just half the original time – so, in thirty seconds if the first scene hit the target. (Some hosts strictly time the scene and divide that number in half, hence the greater flexibility of this version of the game). Players move jauntily through the prior action until the scene is completed in the allotted time. The host will then generally offer more halved time goals – usually four in total, with the last iteration having time to reenact only the most pivotal steps.
Example
This is one of those dynamics that’s a little cumbersome to illustrate in the written word. In theory, at least, the dialogue and action should look almost identical between the first and second play through in particular – it is the urgency that has changed…
Player A: (starting the first iteration with a leisurely stroll to a downstate window as they wait for their college-aged child to return from their first semester away from home) “I can see their car pulling into the driveway…”
Becomes…
Player A: (starting the second iteration with a faster stroll to a downstate window as they wait for their college-aged child to return from their first semester away from home) “They’re pulling into the driveway…”
Becomes…
Player A: (starting the third iteration with a sprint to a downstate window as they see their college-aged child returning from their first semester away from home) “They’re here…”
The Focus
Condense… Cond… Co… This frame has a lot in common with Forward/Reverse in terms of its fundamental gifts and curses, so consider reviewing those pointers here.
Traps and Tips
1.) Give yourself room to grow. While your first scene shouldn’t needlessly be overly indulgent or under-energized, don’t let it begin as all out mayhem either as this will burn the fuel and fun of the game before the fuse has even been lit. It’s helpful to construct the base vignette at a regular “scenic pace.” Frankly, most scenes can benefit from a little compression, so a regular first scene will often result in a rather pleasantly abridged second scene where judicious edits have tightened the action. In a related note, also be careful that you don’t attack the first replay as if it was the heavily concentrated last. Improvisers often overestimate how much needs to be cut. Usually, the “30 second” offering is actually just a smoother and better put-together rendition of the base material!
2.) Give yourself things to do. If you think of the first scene as a map for those that will follow, you want to make sure that map actually (metaphorically and literally) leads you somewhere. The game tends to become a bit of a yelling match if you’re not careful as the seconds are shaved off the clock, so it’s helpful for all involved to keep the physical world of your characters alive and vibrant. Big stage movements and specific physicalities also provide really helpful markers as you tackle the replays. It’s also easier (and esthetically more pleasing) to sequence verbal and movement choices without every moment being a cacophony of voices. I can open the curtains while you say your line of dialogue and then say my response while you unpack your suitcase…
3.) Give yourself permission to edit. The contract of the game is that your audience will experience the “same” scene in less time, but as I’ve endeavored to model above, it’s all part of the joy to compress and heighten the constituent elements and emotions. Dialogue might become paraphrased or clipped (just don’t jump to the end too quickly). Movement can take on new qualities as well as tempos (just don’t jump to the end too quickly). What was once subtext can bubble up and reveal itself more explicitly (just don’t jump to the end too quickly). Adopting such an approach can allow a fledgling scene to deepen and develop while it simultaneously shortens and intensifies. Remain present, and diligently accept and incorporate the little (and not-so little) adjustments that color the established action. It’s much less enjoyable if each replay just becomes individuals revisiting their own choices without any regard for their teammates’ discoveries.
In Performance
I’m always hesitant to share “bits” but if the replays are joyous and the players aren’t in physical peril, it’s a rather standard finesse for the host or caller to throw on that last impossible time challenge (usually it’s the seven seconds or equivalent) with an air of surprise that the players should be careful of puncturing or preempting. If you’re playing in a scored environment, this might consist of the facilitator starting to take the stage as if they are going to consult the judges only to lob that “one last time” challenge. This probably isn’t the smartest move if the prior scene already devolved into borderline unwatchable chaos without any semblance of finesse or skill. But if the players are on their game, it’s a nice out, especially if you don’t play the game every show!
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Cheers, David Charles.
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Photo Credit: Gontran Durocher
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