Know-It-All is a classic short-form interview game that combines the collective knowledge (theoretically) of multiple players as they form one multi-headed expert.
The Basics
One player, or possibly the host, serves as the interviewer. A topic is obtained from the audience and the remaining teammates from a tight cluster or line to serve as the expert who must answer every question “one” “word” “at” “a” “time.” Alternatively, this game can be played one-voice style (see pointers for that speech dynamic here).
Example
The host begins the game using the audience suggestion of “street tacos.”
Player A: “Welcome back everyone to my original vlog series all about the foods that keep us coming back for more. I’m really honored to have today’s guest join us outside my home. Please introduce yourself…”
Player B: “Thank”
Player C: “you”
Player D: “Nicole”
Player B: “for”
Player C: “inviting”
Player D: “me…!”
The Focus
Played with attack, this game generates surprisingly detailed stories replete with delightful surprises and broad characterizations. Played without attack, this typically short game will feel like it lasts an eternity and doesn’t actually go anywhere meaningful! As I explore tips for word-at-a-time joy in my related entry concerning Double Speak (see here), I’m using this game entry to muse more exclusively on the equally important role of the host.
Traps and Tips
1.) Create a frame. Don’t throw away the joyful character and story potentials of the hosting position. If you think of this role as little more than a device to prod the expert to the next piece of schtick or joke, then that is all you will manage to do. In the opening moments of the scene, you have a great opportunity to establish the given circumstances and your own character point of view on the subject and your guest. While it’s perhaps a good rule of thumb that the interviewer shouldn’t be the most interesting thing on the stage, you needn’t hide blandly in the shadows either. When the host has their own sharp deal, backstory, objective, or relationship with the expert, the story often takes off in delightfully new ways. These specifics also lay helpful groundwork for when the story alone might not offer up a resolute button.
2.) Throw the spotlight. Know-It-All is one of those games with a built-in area of focus and while you don’t want the host to become irrelevant, it is important to remember that the primary interest will (should?) always remain with the expert as they playfully struggle with their language restriction. The host will often rightfully take a little extra time at the top of the scene, but once the givens are well established, be sure that you don’t needlessly luxuriate in your questions and ponderings. If the scene veers away from the expert for prolonged periods of time, the game can lose steam and it will become difficult for the many-voiced character to ever build up momentum. Put more plainly, if you’re offering twenty words to the expert’s two or three-word answers, then you’ve probably got the balance a little off.
3.) Mine the story. Another trap can be just meandering through a list of rather uninspiring or generic questions: “How old were you were you started this activity,” “Who has most inspired you,” “I hear you’re on an international book tour…” (I would offer that stock bits or gags can quickly fall into this category too.) Most of us have used some iterations of the above to fish for something of unique interest, but if you only recycle such questions or prompts again and again, then you will likely get the same milquetoast scene again and again. The scene and story come alive when you actively listen and strive to base each new question or lead on the latent potentials presented in the prior answer. Endeavor to find and elevate the hidden story potentials contained in a peculiar turn of phrase or playful stumble. Don’t ignore the unexpected moments in a misplaced effort to just drag the story back to old well-worn clichés.
4.) Relish the struggle. It’s certainly in the spirit of the game to “clean up” unwieldy expert answers a little – some cheerful justifying can go a long way to help the story emerge. But be wary of getting the expert out of too much trouble. There can be a lot of joy in holding the character’s toes to the fire a little and asking the expert to clarify a particularly opaque or rambling response, or to define a bizarre phrase or term. Whenever possible, invite the expert to navigate the path through their own creative mess rather than throwing a life preserver at any and every sign of rocky waters. Obviously if the expert players are struggling and in meltdown mode by all means lend a helping hand. But don’t lose sight of the fact that much of the artistic and entertainment value of the game comes from enjoying some struggle.
In Performance
The pacing of the expert tends to decrease with each additional “head” but there is something marvelous about the resulting struggle! I play this exclusively as an interview game which is a stock offering in most short-form show evenings. If you’re looking for a more scenic deployment of the same dynamic, check out Double Speak here.
Cheers, David Charles.
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Photo Credit: James Berkley
© 2024 David Charles/ImprovDr
Connected Concept: Story Series for Improv I
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