Here’s another tricky but satisfying quick hit short-form format that encourages players to think (and justify) outside the box.
The Basics
Players obtain a news headline and then improvise a scene that could result in that news story. The game usually culminates with a newsies-style barker announcing the chosen headline while waving an imaginary newspaper. I tend to play this as a concise one-minute game as that increases the challenge, but the story could certainly be given more room to breathe, too.
Example
The headline, “Bush seeks middle ground on global warming,” inspires the play. As the introductory countdown approaches “one,” Player A positions themselves downstage and assumes the character of a bush.
Player A: (sweating profusely) “I just can’t seem to get comfortable today…”
Player B enters and becomes an embodiment of a blistering sun.
Player B: “Why don’t you come a little closer, friend?”
Player A: “I’d rather not, thank you. You are in rare form this afternoon, sun.”
Player B: (smiling happily and obliviously) “I’m just doing my job!”
Player A tries to wiggle away a little only to discover Player C now standing in their path. Player C has taken on the role of a pollution spewing coal plant.
Player C: (smiling happily and obnoxiously) “Well, good morning there, little friend. I’m sorry but you can’t come this way…”
The Focus
This construct shares similar challenges and opportunities as other “reverse engineering” relatives such as Creation Myth Scene, Famous Last Words and First Line, Last Line. Look for playful or unexpected starting points that use the headline’s elements in novel ways. With apologies to non-American readers (and those born in the twenty-first century!), the “Bush” in the headline likely referred to a president. Upending this expectation and making the protagonist a plant instead opens up the scene to a less literal story, which is where the juiciest fun resides.
Traps and Tips
1.) Real headlines are preferable. Headlines are generally concise, pithy, and tend to omit perfunctory words. This, in turn, generally encourages players to fill out those gaps creatively. Made up headlines, on the other hand, might skew ridiculous already – this doesn’t allow the same level of ironic inversions and discoveries. When I teach the game, I have a list of suitably ambiguous options to hopefully model this potential (although, based on my dated example above, that list is long overdue for refreshing!) In the age of computers as phones, most audiences will be able to find something with relative ease. In many ways, the more reputable the source, the better, as that will maximize the contrast between the earnest prompt and the silly outcome.
2.) Varied styles are helpful. In my circles, bland realism can tend to reign unquestioned in the halls of improv. Again, in the name of contrast, it can be joyfully effective to have the very realistic barker tag follow a distinctly non-realistic scene. Anthropomorphized objects or animals, modern dance movement qualities, or period-infused poetry can unlock exciting story options. This will not always prove to be the case, and the game certainly can thrive with a kitchen sink realism approach, too, but perhaps avoid always assuming this stylistic base when the countdown starts.
3.) Generous entrances are key. As is the case with any game that invites a unique use of the ask-for, a hurried or crowded scene start will typically suffocate any chance for a truly inspired deviation from the mundane. As I’ve discussed elsewhere, I’m a huge fan of the “I’ll start” tradition for this very reason as this gives a “hot” player a little room to greet their idea going before a well-intentioned teammate skewers something subtle or unanticipated. If someone immediately calls our wilting shrub, “Mr. President,” for example, our bush won’t be able to water the arguably more dynamic choice they were just about to initiate.
4.) Patient moves are crucial. My written examples tend to be a little collapsed just so I can model a few helpful points. In reality, most of the moves described above could have been given more time to organically build and deepen. One of the traps of “knowing the ending” – the given headline in this case – is that anxious players can tend to just sprint there (usually while probably dragging their teammates with them). As always, enjoy and savor the process. If you’re playing the scene as a one-minute challenge, you do need to be mindful that you don’t chase too many random kittens down disconnected alleyways. But don’t be so focused on the outcome that you forget to discover and create a scene along the way.
In Performance
In theory, any improv game should be able to succeed from any prompt. In reality, a nice ambiguous headline will serve better than a two-word phrase that leaves no room for mis- or re-interpretation. Preparing some possible starting points, providing a few examples for your audience, or shopping a little for a suggestion that sparks creativity are all strategies likely to set you up for creative “success.”
You can find the other related games mentioned above here.
Cheers, David Charles.
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Photo Credit: Leesa Brown
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