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Game Library: “The Café”

This exercise works well as an all-play experiential game or could provide a starting point for a large cast long-form piece. The Café, by design, involves a sizeable cast all interacting at the same time so necessitates Sharing Focus with purposefulness and finesse.

The Basics

I teach this game with several stacked phases that gently increase the challenge and freedom. To begin, players are randomly assigned partners that will occupy various Café tables scattered aesthetically through the space. Each pair is given a number that corresponds to their assigned table as well as a scenic starting point or relationship. For example, table one may consist of two colleagues where one is trying to secure a promotion, while table two might be occupied by two former high school sweethearts reconnecting after many years. I’ve successfully explored the game with as many as nine or ten pairs, and you can also deploy one or two waitstaff as well that either have their station assigned a table number or they operate as free floaters as outlined below.

Phase One: Caller’s Choice

Players can begin either offstage or already stationed at their numbered table. It’s helpful to have a mix so that every vignette doesn’t start with predictable and potentially empty small talk or examining the menu. The caller nominates which table currently serves as the focus by announcing the corresponding table number. The selected players should use this signal to take the lead while others recede into soft focus and gentle activity. If one or more of the designated table occupants is offstage, this would also serve as an invitation for them to enter and take focus. When the caller names a new table, focus should shift to this new part of the stage with the current speakers finding a suitable button or focus give. Depending on the time available and the size of the cast, the caller may randomly rotate through the tables two or three times in this fashion. Characters generally remain at their own tables and in their original combinations for this part of the exercise.

Phase Two: Waitstaff’s Choice

This phase can be optional if it doesn’t suit your numbers or training goals. If deployed, phase two now utilizes a member of the waitstaff to move attention between the various focus areas. If you’ve assigned one or more players to fill this role, they now should strategically move from table to table taking the “eye of the camera” with them. I’ve also assumed this role as the facilitator, entering the scene as a fellow character. It’s important to note that the employee needn’t talk and typically shouldn’t become intimately involved in the action at each table or else you tend to get a lot of vignettes about food and the quality of the service: the intent is not for a member of the waitstaff to become the star of the greater story. Rather, the waiter’s mere proximity can reignite a paused action or facilitate a focus throw. There isn’t one way to make these focus exchanges elegant and, frankly, exploring the myriads of possibilities is largely the point of the exercise. There might be some minor shuffling of characters between tables during this round.

Phase Three: Players’ Choice

This can feel like quite a leap if you don’t deploy the second phase so it can be helpful to set some simple expectations as you step up the dynamic. Tables and players should now seek to give and take focus at will. Initially, smaller areas of focus should still serve as the scenic norm (as opposed to considering the whole Café as being in focus with all its characters fully activated at once). Players should clearly give and take focus and may use this phase as an opportunity to shake up character combinations or just the staging in general. Often characters will intuitively begin to interact in larger clusters and it’s not uncommon for the phase to culminate in something resembling a full ensemble moment.

Phase Four: Necessity’s Choice

Especially if you’re using this frame as an experiential opportunity to explore focus and relationships, an organic ending frequently presents itself. It’s helpful to have something in your pocket in case this doesn’t materialize and recalling a prior dynamic will often do the trick. Returning to the waitstaff as focus facilitators can give just enough structure to generously move focus through the ensemble one last time. Similarly, the caller can reintroduce the device of announcing table numbers to give everyone at least a fleeting chance for some denouement, although by this stage of the play, occupants are rarely at their original tables so characters might need to deliberately move to unoccupied areas to facilitate enjoying a few finals moments of attention.

The Focus

It’s no small feat to successfully share focus with so many active players onstage all developing their own characters and storylines. Generous awareness is key, as is a willingness to throw focus to those who might otherwise fall to the wayside.

Traps and Tips

1.) Pace yourself. It’s helpful to consider each phase as a conscious step in the dramatic arc. Phase one serves as the routine or introduction, creating independent threads to weave later in the action. By the end of this phase or going into phase two, characters and stories should be truly ignited and committed to a rising action and energy. Phase three offers a less structured moment to explore a greater climax, confrontation, or revelation that changes the world of the Café for most, if not all, of its occupants. And phase four allows space for the falling action, ramifications, and tying up any loose ends or subplots. It’s dynamic for the tables to start in different ways and with different energies, but if one storyline resolves in its second appearance those characters will likely become passengers for the rest of the event.

2.) Control focus. Even when focus exchanges are being announced by the offstage caller, improvisers should seek to firmly create and pitch their own edits, buttons, and transitions and not just wait to be interrupted by the caller (or waitstaff if you use the second dynamic too). Vignettes should start, pause, and then restart from a place of conviction and strength. Ideally outside edits should really just recognize what the players have done and want rather than impose a random adjustment. This takes heightened awareness and generosity as it’s tempting to just riff or sort of prolong the moment especially when you’re enjoying yourself, so remind all involved to…

3.) Do the math. If you’re exploring with eighteen improvisers sitting at nine Café tables and you keep having the focus every three or so vignettes you are unquestionably shutting out other players and potentials. Now improv math is a tricky affair as it’s likely that a handful of characters may emerge as more prominent voices when the scene builds to a climax, especially if they have come to represent protagonistic and antagonistic energies respectively or are higher status personalities in the environment in general. For these moments some focus unevenness will serve the greater need, but this shouldn’t become the norm. If you’re an eclipsing energy, look for ways to leave for a while, or pointedly give attention to a lesser featured patron, or fall unconscious… Just find a way to harness yourself. And the inverse is true if you’ve taken on a quieter energy or demeanor. The exercise is about sharing focus, so don’t justify reasons for not doing so.

4.) Earn connections. Finally, avoid the temptation to make everything related the second it hits the stage. If you start the exercise thinking “what is this all going to be about” or “how can I weave together everyone else’s choices” then the stories will quickly collapse in on themselves. I’ve routinely seen forty or fifty minutes of material rather easily discovered when each table begins by delightfully and selfishly figuring out their own deal and arc with little apparent regard for others’ content (but incredible regard for actively listening and sharing time and space). If the boss at table one is immediately revealed as the spouse of one of the high school sweethearts at table two, the choice may feel desperate or manufactured. The same choice gently alluded to and foreshadowed in the second and third phases could, on the other hand, beautifully raise the stakes as the game approaches its zenith. Trust that these connections will emerge rather than grabbing at them from a place of panic.

In Performance

I’m always sad when my class schedule doesn’t have room for this exercise as it has so much to offer and allows players to really sit in a character and ensemble experience for a protracted period of time. The evolving phases provide just enough structure to get the ball rolling and to set some parameters for sharing the joy of creation.

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
Photo Credit: Tony Firriolo
© 2022 David Charles/ImprovDr

Connected Concept: Sharing Focus

“S” is for “Sharing Focus”

The simple (in theory) but difficult (in practice) art of adeptly moving the attention from one area of the stage to another so as to serve the greater needs of the story.

Tools, Tips and Traps When it Comes to Sharing Focus…

This is just a taste of this entry/concept. Go here for more information.

Related Entries: Commandment #2, Commandment #3, Give, Take Antonyms: Split Focus Synonyms: Focus

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
© 2022 David Charles/ImprovDr

Connected Game: The Café

Game Library: “Home Shopping Network”

This energetic tie-breaker provides a sound example of a competitive game that can give an otherwise lagging show a boost to go out on. In competent hands, Home Shopping Network offers a strong button when a more organically discovered Shape of Show alludes you.

The Basics

Two team representatives (one from each competing camp) leave the space and will serve as the home shopping network hosts upon their return. While absent, two different invented products are brainstormed and set: usually they each consist of three unrelated elements so each team has a unique item that is an “adjective noun that verbs” – such as a revolving television that ignites. With the assistance of a caller who serves as a timer and moderator, teams take turns pantomiming clues that describe their odd product while their “host” pitches and describes the unknown item to the potential buyers at home. The audience should applaud or similarly encourage the hosts as they get an element correct. When the caller announces “switch,” the active host should turn around and face away from the playing field while their opponent now turns to receive clues from their own teammates. The hosts continue to alternate the narratives inspired by each teammates’ strictly physical clues until one side successfully identifies their item. (If such a moment clearly seems unlikely, hosts can be asked to state their “best guess,” and the audience can vote on which team was closest.)

Example

Team A receives an “oscillating loaf of bread that entertains” while team B gets an “energetic spatula that calculates.” The two previously absent hosts return to the space and take their positions upstage, facing away from the audience, while their teammates wait to the side.

Caller: “Player A, you get the first twenty seconds starting… now!”

Host A spins around as their teammates rush to the stage and start to meticulously mime the activity of baking bread, pointing at the host whenever they are on the right track…

Host A: “If it’s 1:00am, it’s time to get shopping! Thanks for joining me, Sarla, on this very special edition of ‘Around the Home’ where I’ll help you drag your living into the twenty-first century. Now I know what you’re thinking, ‘What if I don’t have a lot of spare dough for elevating my standard of living, Sarla!’ And that’s where I come in with this exciting and affordable product that no home should be without. It’s a slice above the rest…”

Caller: “Switch!”

Host A stops mid-phrase and turns around as Host B now faces their clue-giving team…

Host B: “Welcome back, friends, to the Home Shopping Network, and does your new best friend, Jane, have just the thing to make your life complete. Are you hungry for more in life…?”

The Focus

Though this format is loosely related to the category of endowment games, in reality, it’s more of a charades affair that deploys good doses of “telling” rather than subtler “showing.” All of the techniques that you might use in the parlor game version – breaking words down into syllables, miming homonyms, or tugging on your ear to denote a “sounds like” offering – should be liberally used here. That being said, leaning into character, story, and playful connections – all more the domain of improvisation – will elevate the experience beyond simply a charm offensive.

Traps and Tips

1.) Sequencing. Venues can tend to have their own best practices for games such as these, so make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to the preferred approach. I like pantomiming the noun element first as it tends to be a little more concrete and accessible. Once this is known, you can then adapt it to reflect the obtuse adjective and verb components. Others see similar wisdom in tackling the product in the order in which it was elicited: adjective, noun, and then verb. (To this point, if assuming the above strategy, I’ll typically get the noun first, then the adjective and verb…) At the end of the day, do what works for your ensemble, but just make sure everyone knows the assumed approach. Frustration awaits if the team is pantomiming the noun while their host is looking desperately for an adjective.

2.) Staging. On a proscenium stage, the angles necessitated for visibility can prove tricky. When hosts stand upstage – on a higher level if at all possible – their teammates can mime in front of them ideally angling themselves in such a way that both the host and the audience can appreciate their moves. Placing these players diagonally across the stage helps a great deal in this regard, so if team A’s host is stationed upstage right, their teammates perform downstage left. There is something exhilarating about the hosts snapping around between their turns with their team returning to the wing to “strategize,” so take full advantage of this staging dynamic.

3.) Hosting. This is one of a mere handful of games where a waffling proclivity may actually serve you and your team! Assume a strong late night home shopping network persona and point of view, and confidently extol the endless virtues of your unknown product right from the get-go. Sell that item! Strive to keep this playful narrative developing, complete with ripe details that might assist your fellow players, while also tactically weaving in your best efforts to define the physical clues. A lot is lost when the hosts drop the game show façade and just blatantly guess. If you’re getting the feedback you’re close to the pertinent word, be careful that you don’t just keep repeating an incorrect approximation again and again. The pantomimers need new content to help move the ball further down the playing field.

4.) Pantomiming. It can be a fun conceit to try to immediately hit your host with your best effort to pantomime the whole product in all its absurd details as an opening move, but generally smaller pieces of the puzzle will prove more manageable and delightful. If you have more than two players at your disposal to mime clues, be extremely cautious of creating split or competing focus. A crowded performance area also increases the likelihood that your host or the audience will miss a particularly helpful or amusing clue as well. As the other side competes you actually will have a few moments to briefly strategize and determine who or what choice should take the lead next. You’ll want to be brave and hit the stage with energy, but don’t overwhelm the game with scattered focus or empty movement.

5.) Calling. The caller has a lot of responsibility in this format to shape the game, especially if it’s been slated to help the shape of show as well. It’s traditional to state changes will come at set intervals – fifteen to twenty seconds often works well – but don’t be afraid of having a “faulty” stop watch. If one team is excelling or benefiting from a clearly easier goal, it’s in the spirit of the format for their time to move a little quickly. Similarly, if a host is on the cusp of correctly announcing their last element, skewing the playing field a little in favor of the underdogs can orchestrate a more exciting finish. When you’re using this frame for your finale, you don’t want to inadvertently let the steam run out of the whole event. Keep the stakes and urgency elevated. If the energy is deflating, quickly edit the game and deploy the voting system mentioned above.

In Performance

You can play this game with both teams working towards the same peculiar product – this certainly provides a quicker result. But even though the competition is likely only a thinly veiled conceit, I’ve found audiences react unfavorably when opposing teams quickly benefit from the hard won victories of their rivals’ efforts. Subsequently, the variant described above has become my norm. (If you use a common target it can actually become an interesting tactic for hosts not to actually say or repeat successful clues – saving the product elements for one last impressive salvo – so as not to gift them to the opposition, but this can prove rather challenging in practice!) I’ve confessed elsewhere that I’m disinclined towards parlor games masquerading as improvisation, but this offering can allow players to polish and present a variety of important skills, such as clear physicality, bravery, teamwork, and grace under pressure.

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
© 2022 David Charles/ImprovDr

Connected Concept: Shape of Show

“S” is for “Shape of Show”

A term used to denote the flow, design, or arc of a larger improvisational performance (as opposed to the smaller units of a scene or individual game).

Shaping the Show…

This is just a taste of this entry/concept. Go here for more information.

Related Entries: Hosting Antonyms: Chaos Synonyms: Structure

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
© 2022 David Charles/ImprovDr

Connected Game: Home Shopping Network

Game Library: “On the Back Word Endowments”

Secrets are at the core of this spirited endowment game that requires players to simultaneously wear the hats of endowers and endowees.

The Basics

While players are sent out of the playing space so they can’t hear, an array of words are obtained from the audience, one for each of the team members. These words are written clearly on sheets of paper, cardboard, or similar. When the team returns, they face the back wall, and other improvisers tape one word onto the back of each player as the game title would suggest. It’s important that these are fastened in such a way that players are unable to see their own word. During the following scene – inspired by a new ask-for that is typically unconnected to the elicited words – players strive to learn and say their assigned words while, at the same time, providing clues as to the hidden words of their teammates. The scene ends when everyone has been successful in this charge, or a time limit or clear story resolution has been reached.

Example

While outside the theatre, players are assigned four random words from the audience, “fortune,” “insensitive,” “skyscraper,” and “philanthropy.” When the players return, these words are taped to their backs, Player A receiving “fortune” and so on down the line. An end of the year teacher’s party serves as the premise. As the scene begins, players mull around a snack table clearly eyeing and reacting to each other’s words. Player A, taking on the part of the principal, approaches Player B.

Player A: “It’s hard to imagine this school without you next year. 44 years in the profession! That’s remarkable.”

Player B: “I’m looking forward to seeing what the next chapter of my life holds.”

Player A: “Look, I feel the need to apologize again. I really should have made a bigger deal of your retirement.”

Player B: “You’re new to the principal’s office. I know it wasn’t personal.”

Player C, who has been listening, chimes in…

Player C: “We should have made a bigger deal of you, Isabella. 44 years is quite the accomplishment.” (pointedly to A) “And heavens know none of us do this for the money.”

Player A: “I know, I know. I should have been more thoughtful. You can say whatever you want about me. I won’t disagree…”

The Focus

Alongside the fun visual component of characters moving through the action with paper on their backs and straining to see each other’s target words, this scene is just an amped up endowment game, albeit a more complex one than average with clues moving in multiple directions at once. General endowment best practices apply as a result, such as not saying others’ “on the back” words, and attempting to lead players to the “correct” answer through subtle inference (at least initially) rather than a “fill in the blank” or charades mentality.

Traps and Tips

1.) Remember the logistical needs. As is often the case with endowment formats, there are some unique intricacies when it comes to setting the game up. On a purely material level, you’ll need to preset appropriate paper or cardboard stock, thick markers, and reliable tape that will stick to the clothing of your players for the duration of the scene. The game loses some charm if the audience is unable to also see the words throughout the action, so write accordingly, especially if you’re in a larger performance space. A team of three or four works well; more than that and the resulting scene can tend to become epic, perhaps painfully so. It’s helpful to elicit a variety of words in terms of type, length, and challenge. Technically, they need to be legibly written on the papers, so anything too long will cause issue. Artistically, it’s nice to have a word (or two) in the mix that is reasonably attainable so that there is the likelihood of a victory in the early stages of the scene.

2.) Remember, you’re an endower. As players explore the scene, all the while searching for clues as to their own hidden word, it’s easy to forget that you should also be actively providing help to your teammates. Part of the fun of the first phase of the game is watching players jostling to read each other’s words, so make sure you have at least one word front of mind that you can work towards. Focus is particularly important: your intended partner needs to know that you’re offering them assistance (as opposed to just launching clues into the ether). I’ve found it a useful strategy to muster the team’s resources towards one word and player at a time, even if this shifts multiple times from player to player as characters come and go or if the current line of inquiry proves unsuccessful. If you find yourself needing to break down an unfamiliar or multisyllabic word into smaller constituent parts, this tactic is particularly critical. There is entertainment value in an initial scattershot approach with everyone working at cross purposes, but this rarely holds interest or utility in the long run.

3.) Remember, you’re an endowee. And the opposite holds true as well – don’t lose sight of the fact that teammates are trying to endow your hidden word. Remain attentive for unexpected or peculiar phrasing or vernacular that is likely nudging you towards your intended destination. As is the case with all endowment frames, avoid a “guessing” mentality and language: “is my word ‘fortune?'” Make sure you’re responding through the lens of your character: “I really do have great fortune when it comes to friends.” And be wary of letting the uncertainty of your goal infect every choice you make or line you utter; as always, make big choices unimpeded by the fear of being “wrong.” A predictable but effective scenic button can consist of everyone confidently utilizing their assigned word in back-to-back sentences in quick succession regardless of whether or not they are all actually known.

4.) Remember, you’re in a scene. A playful panic can pulse just under the surface of this format if you’re not mindful, and that usually isn’t a great energy from which to construct grounded scene work. Take the time to set up strong CROW elements – every line needn’t be a clue or response to one, especially initially. Make sure characters are going on an interesting journey separate (but perhaps connected) to the game conceit. Dynamic and clear relationships also help steer the focus around the stage, as does a central action or dramatic goal. Excited overtalking can easily emerge, so avoid crowding the stage or find ways to fade into the background when you’re not actively needed. Particularly if you’ve already determined your assigned word, it’s generous to cede the stage to others still engaged in the struggle for knowledge unless you’re sitting on the next needed move or piece of information. Well-timed exits and entrances will serve just as in any other scenic exploration.

In Performance

If endowment games are a newer addition to your repertoire, review my earlier Game Library post on the format Naive Expert here for additional thoughts and pointers. I’m not sure if I’d recommend this current offering unless your company already has a strong sense of the foundational skills involved as it demands a lot of shifting focus and multitasking that in adept hands creates enthralling controlled chaos, but for the less able just results in chaos of the everyday nontheatrical variety!

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
© 2022 David Charles/ImprovDr

Connected Concept: Secrets

“S” is for “Secrets”

Hidden or unvoiced information that adds to the stakes and energy of a performance.

Secrets Secrets are So Fun…

This is just a taste of this entry/concept. Go here for more information.

Related Entries: CAD, Character, Commandment #1, Dramaturgical Improv, Objective Antonyms: Cartooning, Truth Synonyms: Lies

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
© 2022 David Charles/ImprovDr

Connected Game: On the Back Word Endowments

Game Library: “Typewriter”

If you enjoy narrative and language-centric structures you’re probably already familiar with Typewriter. It’s another classic Theatresports game that I encountered in my youth that still serves as a mainstay in my classroom.

The Basics

The basic version of the game sees one player serving as the typist and setting themselves to the side of the playing area where they can easily observe the action. As the typist starts writing aloud – usually pantomiming the mechanics of a typewriter or computer all the while – the characters in their imagination come to life and are embodied by their fellow teammates. The scene alternates seamlessly between the typist’s narration and the embodied dialogue and action of the onstage characters.

Example

The title “When It Rains” serves as the initial prompt and Player A sits to the side of the stage to assume the role of the typist. As the lights transition, they roll a fresh page of paper into their imaginary typewriter and begin typing and talking…

Player A: “When It Rains. A gritty crime novel by A. Nonymous. Chapter One. As the clock struck midnight, the tired city streets cried once more. Law abiding citizens had long since escaped into the comparative safety of their claustrophobic apartments. Except for an elderly man clinging to the soggy embers of a gasping cigarette, who stood restlessly on his stoop…”

Player B, when the first character is mentioned, assumes this persona and enters the stage, bundled in an overcoat playing with the offered cigarette in their hand. They peer into the darkness.

Player B: (softly, almost painfully) “I know you’re out there.”

A second figure, Player C, slowly steps into the light.

Player C: “You shouldn’t be surprised. I warned you this would happen…”

Player A: (narrating) “The huddled man nervously reached into his pocket. An alley cat screeched in the distance…”

Player C: “Move slowly old man. Is all the money there?”

Player B: (fumbling with an envelope) “And my son?”

Player C takes the money and ruminates.

Player A: (typing) “Streams of perspiration blended with the relentless rain dripping down the man’s face as the heavy silence hung in the humid air.”

Player C: “Well, that all depends on what you do next…”

The Focus

For fulfilling stories pay particular attention to the give and take as well as the unique ways the various roles can contribute to the action. There are a lot of gimmicks that tend to get passed down with this game but none of the “bits” are needed to craft a successful scene if everyone focuses on just creating a rich tale.

Traps and Tips

1.) Share the spotlight. A lot of the initial heavy lifting can sit on the shoulders of the typist and, in most cases, I believe it’s kind to actually give this player a little room to find their voice and perspective. I advocate for an empty stage to start the game for this reason so that the author has a few moments to establish a mood or idea. Once the story is up and running, however, it’s good form to make sure characters aren’t merely puppets enacting exactly what their writer has described. Look to exchange the reins of the scene often. It’s helpful for the typist to offer clear throws to their fellow players so that they have room to explore without every move being framed or commented upon. Likewise, if the players performing characters dash forward with no regard for the author, the scene will start to feel like any other, so it’s also important to leave windows open in which the author can play.

2.) Typist best practices. One of the richer potentials of this format is that you can dig into scenic components through the narrative that are not always easily staged or embodied. At the top of the scene, it’s helpful to favor tone, style, and good old-fashioned scene painting to provide a tantalizing balance (status quo). As the scene continues, in addition to keeping these elements alive and engaging, you can also provide provocative backstory, hidden motivations, or elucidate a character’s subtext or psychological state. The characters primarily provide dialogue and stage action, so while the author can offer choices in these areas too, it makes sense to focus more squarely on other features that are more difficult to physically create. Don’t forget that in addition to their narrative function that the typist is a character too, so explore a unique point of view and voice when you’re in the author’s chair.

3.) Character best practices. A confident author can be both a blessing and a curse as it can incline other players to defer too much to this more singular vision. It’s generous to allow the author enough room to start something but, just as you would in any other scene, make sure you are “yes, anding…” Honor what’s been pitched and then swing for the fences. If you become tepid in your own contributions, you may actually be demanding that the typist remains firmly in the driver’s seat. When dialogue naturally enters the narrative flow, use your words deliberately and with conviction, avoiding the standard gag of merely repeating verbatim what might have been offered from the typewriter. And make sure you’re “yes, anding…” any physical realities too. Don’t just stand passively onstage awaiting further orders.

4.) Discover games rather than recycle bits. I’ve alluded to this above, but I’ve seen many a promising Typewriter overwhelmed by a misplaced commitment to “funny bits” rather than imaginative storytelling. Sure, you can rip out your current page and start again, erase a prior choice and type in a new replacement, or leap the action forward multiple chapters. Each of these gimmicks, at one time or another, was undoubtedly an honest discovery and reaction to the needs of the moment. Perhaps the story got off to a jumbled start, or the language was becoming a little too racy for your target demographic, or the action had stalled, and everyone was talking about a future event that really needed to be seen rather than endlessly discussed. But without clear and scene-specific motivations, such moves will more often than not feel like filler and hamper anything more organic from emerging.

5.) Not all typewriters are created equal. And here are four variations of this basic model. The first, Double Typewriter, can provide a gentler entry into the basic model discussed above. Here, two players now share the typist duties as co-writers sitting beside each other for the duration of the novel. Tag Typewriter raises the narrative challenge by having teammates occasionally tag out the current author and picking up the mayhem where it left off. Characters are usually embodied by the same player and don’t rotate so there can be some fun logistics involved in making sure most players get at least a brief chance to type while also retaining the needed character combinations for the stage. If you’re looking to increase physical, emotional, and subtextual work, Gibberish Typewriter incorporates characters who can only speak in this invented language while the author continues to use their native tongue. Characters need to exude extra attack and confidence to playfully share the work and not allow empty “whawhawhas” to dominate. Lastly, Blind (or Absent if you prefer) Typewriter places the typist offstage and out-of-sight where they can no longer see or hear the work of their imagined personae. (They’re usually on a microphone so the audience and players can easily hear them.) This final version upends some of the more graceful narrative potentials in favor of an avowedly “fish out of water” dynamic where the onstage players must work overtime to justify the steady stream of clashing incongruities.

In Performance

The mechanics of this game are strong and can happily house a wide array of different novelistic styles and author energies, from teen adventures, to Bronte romances, to futuristic fantasies. It’s a shame not to fully exploit this range when you take your turn in the typist chair.

Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
Photo Credit: Tony Firriolo
© 2022 David Charles/ImprovDr

Connected Concept: Scene Painting

“S” is for “Scene Painting”

Scene Painting literally allows anything to manifest on stage through the illustrative narrative efforts of the company (as opposed to an initially mimetic “space object” creative approach).

Pigments of Your Imagination…

This is just a taste of this entry/concept. Go here for more information.

Related Entries: CROW, Extending, Narrative, Physicality, Space Objects, Verbal Skills, Where Antonyms: Emptiness, Talking Heads, Undefined Space

Connected Game: Typewriter

Game Library: “Rhyme Fire-Line”

Rhyme Fire-Line provides a low-pressure exercise to develop your Rhyming chops. I’ll also use it as a quick warm-up to dust off improv cobwebs before attempting more challenging musical or verse-based work.

The Basics

This exercise works well in groups of four or five so divide your company into teams accordingly. Each player has a turn in the “hot seat” by facing a small line formed by their remaining teammates. A steady rhythm is established by the hot seat player – “A” in this case. The bank of other players offers up words within the set tempo according to the specific guidelines below. After each new word, Player A responds on the next beat with their own corresponding offer. (For the first round this would look like Player B, Player A, Player C, Player A, Player D, Player A, Player E, Player A and then back to Player B.) Player A remains in the hot seat improvising quick responses to their teammates’ prompts for several rotations. Players then shuffle positions, with Player B now stepping before the line, and the process repeats until everyone has had their turn facing the fire-line.

Phase One: This round is optional especially if your ensemble is familiar with the basic version of the game (Word Association Fire-Line), but it can prove helpful to return to this classic to firmly establish the underlying mechanics. In this original iteration, players in the lineup provide random words and Player A must respond with their own instinctive word associations. It’s helpful for the lineup improvisers not to then word associate with the featured player but rather attempt to truly provide fresh inspirations. So rather than a chain that might go something along the lines of “B: Cat; A: Dog; C: Bone; A: Yard; D: Stick…” you would be more likely to brainstorm “B: Cat; A: Dog; C: Power; A: Electricity; D: Scary…”

Phase Two: Instead of word associating, the featured player is now instructed to provide rhymes for each new offer provided by their fellow teammates in the line. As is the case with the above example, players in the feeding positions should strive to be as random as possible rather than lean into obvious patterns or circle around the same series of sounds. In particular, it can become tricky if lineup improvisers inadvertently start to rhyme with Player A’s responses thereby necessitating that Player A rhymes yet another new word with the common ending. So instead of “B: Sap; A: Cap; C: Nap; A: Slap; D: Chap…” a more helpful selection would be “B: Sap; A: Cap; C: Dish; A: Wish; D: Sprinkle…”

Phase Three: This version will look very similar to the above iteration but the small adjustment in intent flexes a different and extremely helpful rhyming muscle. Now feeding players still offer up a rapid-fire succession of random words but they strive to get the featured improviser to say a particular word of their choosing. To make that less opaque, Player B might think the word “sprinkle” but rather than say this word they offer up a rhyme (“twinkle,” “tinkle,” “sink hole…”) in the hopes that Player A will now respond with their original choice “sprinkle.” I find this attitude shift a helpful low stakes interim step towards more intentional target rhyming (the focus of the next iteration) and it also encourages consciously pitching words with accessible rhyming options. There’s no need to stop or comment if the rhyming player offers something unintended as this will disrupt the tempo.

Phase Four: Finally, players explore the concept of more focused target rhyming. Here the caller or facilitator provides a broad category – such as colors, fruit and vegetables, or articles of clothing. For this round, players in the line now pitch words that (hopefully) lead the hot seat player to a rhyme within the given category. So, if the group is exploring colors the exchange might look something like this: “B: Clue; A: Blue; C: Snack; A: Black; D: Scary Sprinkle…” If you’re playing with a jaunty tempo – which is the goal – this can place a lot of pressure on the feeder line so players should offer something with no expectation that every set up will land firmly in the provided category.

The Focus

There will be a hit/miss ratio in this exercise and players should release any expectations of perfection as these will invariably lead to frustration and anxiety. Regardless of what position you are filling, throw out something on the rhythm and then just move on. In addition to sharpening rhyme skills, played with fearlessness Rhyme Fire-Line serves as a palpable reminder that success and failure are innately related in the improvisational pursuit.

Traps and Tips

1.) Rhythm is your friend. This game will quickly descend into chaos if you don’t establish and maintain a clear and consistent rhythm. The tempo should initially be set by the featured improviser so that they can offer a speed that suits their own learning curve and comfort level. Once this is going, however, fellow teammates will probably need to work to keep it consistent as the rhyming player can have a tendency to slow or distort the pace to buy themselves a few seconds when they need it. (Frankly, this happens with the feeder improvisers too!) If you have several groups all playing simultaneously in the same space, clapping to keep tempo can become acoustically problematic and will make it difficult for players to hear each other. I’ll tend to either use gentle finger snaps or even a gestural wrist flip to visually create and sustain the rhythm in these cases. Also be mindful that players don’t crank up the speed accidentally out of misplaced excitement (although this is certainly a fine choice if everyone is on their game and is ready to up the challenge).

2.) Saying something is your friend. I mention this in my focus notes above, but wimping will quickly make the game collapse. There is no denying that this dynamic can prove quite nerve-racking – and equally invigorating when you’ve made it through the gauntlet! Rhyming puts us all in our heads a little, especially when it’s the stated focus of the game. There will be (many) moments when the “perfect” rhyme or set up comes to you two seconds after you needed it, and that’s okay. It’s a healthy spontaneous workout to just leap into a word when the rhythm lands on you. If you don’t rhyme or utter something nonsensical, that’s okay too. When you’re a word feeder, it’s particularly important that you don’t grind the dynamic to a halt as the responding improviser benefits greatly from the pressure and predictability of the steady rhythm. So just say something. More often than not your instinctual utterance will prove better than you had feared. It’s also more helpful to say something simply and clearly than to fumble with a more complex thought that is less likely to be heard or understood.

3.) Be kind to your friends. It’s important that players set each other up for success. Yes, there will be slips, but players in the lineup shouldn’t consciously pitch words that they know are real stumpers or just plain impossible. Everyone is on the same team. If the featured player is struggling, by all means slow the tempo down until they find a sweet spot that is a little challenging but feels manageable. If they’re struggling with multisyllabic offers, simplify and throw out something more basic. Any air of judgment or competition can quickly degrade the experience, so make sure the process is marked by boundless support. As new players rotate into the hot seat, it’s important that the team resets and allows the fresh blood a chance to find their own pathway to learning and success. And when you’re in the hot seat also remember that it’s no small feat offering up new words on cue and, in fact, I’d offer this really does become at least as challenging as the rhyming position in the later rounds.

In Performance

This sequence of games often results in some rather boisterous energy and laughter as players dance on a proverbial language tightrope. It’s healthy and helpful to joyously acknowledge the beautiful fumbles alongside the flashes of rhyming brilliance as players will surely experience both! This is a lesson that most of us can benefit from relearning on occasion as we pursue our craft.

If you’ve stumbled into this entry without seeing the accompanying “R” is for “Rhyme,” this earlier post linked below includes some helpful basic strategies as well.

Periwinkle.

Connected Concept: Rhyme

“R” is for “Rhyme”

A surprisingly useful skill that can enhance your style work, inspire delightful surprises, and connect you more deeply with your teammates.

Climbing the Rhyming Mountain…

This is just a taste of this entry/concept. Go here for more information.

Related Entries: Verbal Skills Antonyms: Not Rhyming! Prose Synonyms: Poetry, Verse

Connected Game: Rhyme Fire-Line