improv games collection

IMPROV GAMES

Foreign Movie

Players: 4

Emcee: 1

How this game works:

Movie genre/title is taken from the audience. 2 Players act out a scene without speaking while

the other 2 provide the dialogue. The two acting out the scene must attempt to lip sync to the

speaking players.

Evil Twin

Players: 4

Emcee: 1


The Emcee gets a relationship from the audience. 2 Players begin to act out a scene. The other 2

players are the evil twins of the other 2 actors. The evil twins can tag out their counterpart at any

time and they must do something evil. Then they switch back and the “good” twin must justify,

correct, or repair the damage done and continue the scene.

What Did You Say?

Players: 2

Emcee: 1


The emcee gets an occupation or relationship from the audience. The 2 players begin a scene. At

any time during the scene, either player can respond to the other with, “What did you say?” or

any variation of the phrase. The other player then has to rhyme with the last thing they said.

Example:

Player 1: I like to catch bugs.

Player 2: What did you say?

Player 1 Let’s go do some drugs.

Novel

Players: 5

Emcee: 1


The audience gives the MC a name and an object to form the title of the story. The MC then

starts at chapter 1 and points at one of the players and that player begins the story. Every time the

MC points at a player they add on to what the previous player said, forming a story. Every so

often the MC can advance to a different chapter until an ending happens. Epilogue optional. The

MC can point at two players if s/he chooses. The players then have to attempt to synchronize

with each other until the MC points to someone else.

LineSnatchers(Clap)

Players: 6


On stage there are 3 groups of 2 players each. From the audience, the first group is given a word,

the second group is given a place, and the third group is given an objective. Predetermined

objectives are optional and may improve the fluidity of the scenes. The first group starts their

scene and are allowed to continue for a few minutes. Then someone from the second group claps

and steals the last line that someone from the first group said. They continue for a few minutes

until someone for the third group claps and steals a line from the second group. After the third

group goes on for a few minutes, it becomes a free for all. Every time someone hears a line they

want to use they can clap to steal it. When a group’s line is stolen they become silent, still acting

out their scene until they clap again.

Impossiproblem

Players: 3

Emcee: 1


1 player leaves the room. Then, from the audience, the other players get a person(an occupation

or actual person) that the absent player is, a place, a problem that absent player has to fix, and a

physical handicap that the player has. When the player returns, he has no knowledge of previous

information. The other two players must guide the first player through the scene without

revealing any compromising details. At the end the first player must guess who they are, where

they are, what the problem was, and what their disability was.

Spelling Bee

Players: 3

Emcee: 1


The 3 players stand side-by-side. Words are given by the audience, starting simple and becoming

more complex as the game goes on. The players must spell the word, person by person, one letter

at a time. Then they must use it in a sentence.

Two Line Improv

Players: 3

Emcee: 1

Two players are each given two lines from the audience with the help of the emcee. Those are

the only things that those two players can say for the duration of the scene. However, they can

change their say it in any way they choose. The third player can say whatever they want. Then

the emcee gets a place from the audience. This game goes on as long as the emcee deems

necessary.

Moving Bodies

Players: 2

Audience Participators: 2

Emcee: 1

The emcee gathers two people from the audience to play this game. The two players are not

allowed to move any part of their body by themselves. They have to rely on the volunteers from

the audience to move them around. Taps on the back of the leg indicate a step forward, taps on

the front are a step backward, and taps on the back of the knee are a crouching movement. The

players can speak normally and must run the scene normally as though they are the ones moving

their bodies. A place or action is taken from the audience for this game.

Musical Bartender; or Bartender

Players: 3

Emcee: 1

Before the start of this game, have each audience member write down a problem on a piece of

paper. One player is designated to be the bartender. The other two players must draw a problem

from the pile. After both of them have their problems drawn, one of them walks up to the

bartender, orders a drink, and laments over their problem in song. Then, the bartender must

attempt to solve their problem, also in song. Next the second person goes up to the bartender and

does the same thing as the first person. Once again the bartender must solve their problem in

song, but this time the problem has to be solved in a way that involves the problem before it.

Angel of Death

Players: 5

Emcee: 1

Each player is assigned a death by the audience. Then the emcee gets an everyday activity from

the audience. The players then die out one by one as the scene plays on. But, the players are not

allowed to die by the death that was chosen for them. This game ends once everyone is dead.

Catch-Phrase

Players: 5

Emcee: 1

The emcee gets the names of household objects and appliances from the audience. Then the

players, who are standing side by side in a line formation, come up with catchphrases for that

object in order. If a player fails to come up with a catchphrase, or if they don’t get a response

from the audience, they get a strike. Players are out after three strikes. The first person in line

moves to the back after every round.

Chain Murder Mystery

Players: 4

Emcee: 1


Player 1 stays while Players 2, 3, and 4 exit the stage. The emcee gathers from the audience a

1. Person

2. Place

3. Thing

and we assign those three things to the Player 1. Player 1 then calls for Player 2 without using

language, only sound. Using only gibberish and physical movements, Player 1 has three minutes

to relay the person, place, and thing to Player 2.

After 3:00, Player 2 must kill Player 1 with whatever they believe the ‘thing’ is. If Player 2 is

certain they know all 3 objects before time runs out, they may kill Player 1 early. Player 2 then

calls for player 3 and must relay the person, place, and thing within 1:30, also only using

gibberish and physical body movements.

After 1:30 is up, or Player 3 believes they know all 3 things, they kill Player 2 and call for Player

4. The process is repeated again, only with a time restraint of 0:45.

Once time is up, the emcee begins asking Player 4 the thing, place, and person, in that order. If

Player 4 guesses all 3 correctly, the game is over. If Player 4 is incorrect in any of their guesses,

the emcee moves to Player 3 and asks for their guesses. The emcee continues that process until

all 3 objects are revealed, or they get to Player 1 who will then reveal to the other 3 players what

the person, place, and thing were.

Oracle

Players: 3

Emcee: 1

The players are the oracle. One player sits on the ground, the second player sits in a chair right

behind the first player and the last player stands behind the second player. The emcee gathers

non-yes-or-no questions from the audience for the oracle to answer. The oracle answers one

word at a time, starting with the first player. Then the oracle continues for as long as they like.

Afterward, the emcee gathers more questions from the audience. This game can last as long as

the emcee sees fit.

Survivor

Players: 5

Emcee: 1

The emcee asks the audience for a natural disaster for the scene. For the first run, there is a time

limit of one-minute. After the first run-through, the emcee has the audience vote someone off by

clapping for the individual players. The player with the most applause is out. Then four people

have to run through the scene as if there were five with no time limit. The scene ends at the same

part every time. Afterward another player is voted off. The five person scene is then acted out

with three, then two and finally one.

Deleted Scenes

Players: All

Emcee: 1

The emcee plays this game along with the players. At the start of the game the emcee asks for the

audience to call out movie titles. Everyone in turn acts out scenes/spoofs that are their

interpretations of the movie. When it starts to slow down, the emcee gets another movie from the

audience. This game can last as long as the emcee sees fit.

World’s Worst

Players: Everyone

Emcee: 1

The emcee plays this game along with everyone. At the start of the game, the emcee asks the

audience for occupations. After one is chosen, the condiments act out those occupations badly.

The occupation is then changed every time the game starts to slow down. This game can last as

long as the emcee sees fit.

Don’t Laugh

Players: Everyone

Emcee: 1

The emcee plays this game as well. A location is asked for by the emcee. Two condiments start

acting out a scene in that location. Anytime a condiment that is not a part of that scene laughs,

they have to go in and take the place of the person that made them laugh and start a new scene.

This game can last as long as the emcee sees fit.

Storyteller

Players: Everyone

Emcee: 1

In this game, the emcee acts as the storyteller. They tell a story that is missing a bunch of words

in an ad-lib style. The storyteller must rely on the audience to fill in the blanks. The other

condiments act out the story as it is told.

State Trooper

Players: 2

Emcee: 1

One player leaves the stage. The emcee is the State Trooper and the audience is asked for a place

the players were going, why, and the reason for being pulled over. After interrogating the first

person, who is the driver, the State Trooper then calls out the second person who takes the

driver’s place in the car. While the Trooper is interrogating player two, player one must

pantomime to help player two answer the State Trooper’s questions. They have to do this without

the State Trooper noticing. The State Trooper can give player one orders to make it more

difficult for them to communicate their answers. If the players’ stories match up, they are free to

go, but if they don’t, they get arrested.

That’s Offensive

Players: 2

Emcees: 1

The emcee gets a relationship/occupation from the audience. Players improv a scene around the

relationship/occupation. At any point, the emcee can say “That’s offensive!” after a player’s line

and the offending player must apologize for whatever they had just said and explain why it was

offensive. This game can last as long as the emcee sees fit.

Emotional Car Ride

Players: 4

Emcees: 1

Each player is given a personality trait or quality of some sort from the audience(such as Barbie

Doll, Rock Star, OCD, etc.,). The first player gets into the car as the driver. Eventually they pick

up player 2 who attempts to hitchhike. They drive for a little bit before picking up player 3.

Repeat for player 4. After a little while, player 4 gets out for whatever reason. The rest get out

one by one in reverse order until player 1 is left alone. Once alone, he finally reaches his

destination and gets out.

Two-Headed Mutant

Players: 2

Emcee: 1

The emcee gets a historical event from the audience. Then the two players act as an expert on

this subject while the emcee is interviewing them over the subject. Each of the mutant players

can only say one word at a time in alternation. The game lasts until the emcee sees fit or they run

out of questions.

Dating Game

Players: 4

Emcee: 1

One player leaves the room. While that player is gone, the other three (The bachelors) are given

personality traits from the audience (Such as Obsessed with whales, Druggy, Emo, etc.,). The

first player comes back and begins asking the bachelors question. After three or four rounds they

have to guess the personality traits of the bachelors. If they get any wrong, they can go through

more rounds, guessing after each. After a personality trait is guessed correctly, that person is out.

This game ends after 5 rounds or when all traits are guessed.

Interpreter

Players: 2

Emcee: 1

One player will speak gibberish, the other will translate. The emcee gets a situation to talk about

(Surviving an earthquake, A trip to mars, bank robbery, etc,.) The gibberish speaker speaks one

line at a time, while the translator translates. This game ends when the emcee sees fit.

One Syllable Improv

Players: All

Emcee: 1

The emcee gets a relationship or situation from the audience. The players line up on stage. Two

players start a scene. They are only allowed to use one syllable words. When someone slips and

says a multi-syllable word, they are replaced by whoever’s next in line. The emcee calls out the

players that slip. This game lasts as long as the emcee sees fit.

Photo Album

Players: As many that can fit behind the blanket.

Emcees: 2

The two emcees get an event from the audience that they have attended.(Gameshow, Some sort

of convention, cruise, etc,.) Then they hold up a blanket and the other condiments pose behind it.

After giving a little bit of backstory the emcees reveal the photo and then they have to explain it

to the audience. This process is repeated three times. Then the game ends.

Musical Storytelling

Players: 4-5

Emcee: 1

The players all line up next to each other. The emcee gets a genre of music from the audience for

each player. Then the emcee gets a classic fairytale or story(such as The Three Little Pigs, Puss

in Boots, Cinderella, etc,.). Then the emcee points at one player, who starts the story. The emcee

can switch the storyteller by pointing at the next person. The players have to sing the story in the

style of music that they were given. Once they reach the conclusion of the story the game ends.

Intertwined Storytelling

Players: 4-5

Emcee: 1

The players all line up side by side. The emcee gets a location and a thing from the audience.

Then the first player begins telling their story from their point of view, using the location and

thing as the centerpiece of their story. Whenever the emcee wants, they can point to a different

player and they have to start a different story using the same location and thing (the exact same

place and thing), but as a different character. After everyone has at least started to tell their story,

the emcee can switch to anyone at any time and they must continue their story. Eventually, all of

the stories must intertwine in one way or another. The game ends once a conclusion is reached or

whenever the emcee sees fit.

Example: Player 1 starts telling their story as a surfer dude who has lost his wallet in Hawaii.

Emcee points at player 2. Then player 2 starts their story as a tourist who finds a wallet on a

beach in Hawaii. Next the emcee points to player 3, who’s a pickpocket that stole a surfer dude’s

wallet and ditched it before being caught. And so on.

Two-Headed Monster

Players: 4

Emcee: 1

The emcee gets an occupation or activity from the audience along with an obstacle to go with

that occupation or activity. In this game, there are two groups of two. In the groups one person

will act as the legs and piggy back the other person around. The other person is the arms. Each

group must alternate lines with their partner, while playing the scene. Only one person in a group

may talk at a time and once they’ve finished a line, they must wait until after their partner

finishes a line before speaking again. They must physicalize everything they do. This game ends

whenever the emcee sees fit.

Liar

Players: 2

Emcee: 1

The emcee gets a relationship and a place from the audience. Once the players start a scene, the

emcee can shout “Liar!” after a player’s line. The targeted player must change what they had just

said. Both players can be called a liar and there is no limit to how many times “Liar” can be

called. The game ends once the emcee sees fit.

Technical Difficulties

Players: 3

Emcee: 1

A topic is picked by the audience to be the subject of a talk show. One player is the host, another

is the guest. Player three is the janitor and is in the background cleaning. They begin talking

about the subject. Suddenly, the emcee (or the host, whichever is more convenient) will

announce, “Due to technical difficulties, closed captioning is not available. Luckily our janitor

knows sign language and will interpret for us.” The janitor stands off to the side as the

conversation between the host and guest continue. s/he will then physicalize the conversation as

it is happening. This game ends once the host or emcee sees fit.

Lounge Singer

Players: 1

Emcee: 1

Ask for an unlikely place to find a lounge singer. One player improvises a solo song, Frank

Sinatra style. You`ll get something like "Welcome to the pediatrician`s Office".

Great opener!

(Borrowed from improveencyclopedia.org)

Actor`s Nightmare

Players: 2

Emcee: 1

One player gets their lines on paper (like a script). The other player should justify whatever the

scripted player says.

Notes

You can use existing plays for this, but also lines from comics.

Whoever gets the script should not forget to play/act - only her lines are defined, not what she

does, or how she does the lines.


Backwards Interview

Players: 2

Emcee: 1

Description

To play this improv game, ask for a topic for a TV interview. Then 2 players do the interview

backwards. That means that the first sentence uttered is the last one in the interview, perhaps

something like: Thanks for that enlightening explanation. (to the guest) To all of you viewers at

home, thank you for watching, and see you next week. And then players work their way

backwards.

Various gimmicks can be played. For example, in your responses, you can pimp players.

Examples would be: "Thank you for that very energetic answer to the question", pimping the

other player to do something very energetic.


Beatnik Poet

Players: All

Emcee: 1

Description

Tell the audience we are going to improvise a bad poetry night at pseudo- intellectual coffee

house. Ask for 2 unrelated objects or concepts. All players perform a poem that has both

suggestions. If they miss out a suggestion or if they don`t rhyme, the audience yells Die! and the

player commits suicide on stage.


Card Status

Players: 4

Emcee: 1

Description

Excellent Status improv game.

Ask an audience member to pick 4 cards out of a deck, and attach a card to each player`s

forehead, so that players can see each other`s card, but not their own. Use a rubber band or a

piece of string for that.

The idea is to improvise a scene, in which the status order of the characters is defined by the

cards. Evidently, players don`t know their own status, so the other players will have to endow

them.

Notes

Set up a location where status is important. Examples would be a Royal Palace or a highly

organized bureaucracy (the White House ?)


Deaf Replay

Players: 4

Emcee: 1

Description

2 players play a scene while 2 others watch the scene, with their ears covered. When the scene is

over, the 2 others re-play the scene. Obviously they`ll do the same movements, but the dialogue

will be different.


Death in a Minute

Players: 2-3

Emcee: 1

Description

2 or 3 players play a 1 minute scene, in which one player must die.

Notes

Tell players to take risks. Why not just drop dead after 5 seconds and leave it up to the other

player to justify the death.


Double Blind Freeze

Players: All

Emcee: 1

Description

This is an extension of the Blind Freeze improv game: 2 players in scene, the others line up with

their backs to the scene. Whenever the audience yells Freeze! the 2 players at the end of the line

replace the 2 players on scene, and start a new scene, from the positions the original players were

in.


Emotional Family

Players: ~4

Emcee: 1

Description

Usually played with 4 players, but can be done with more or less players.

As a suggestion ask for a family activity, then start a normal scene.

As soon as all characters and their relationships have been established, freeze the scene, pick a

player, and ask for an emotion for that player. The scene then continues, and the player is

overcome with that emotion.

Repeat till all players got an emotion. The scene has to keep evolving after each emotion

assignment, and of course players shall try justifying the emotions.


Fortune Cookie

Players: 2-3

Emcee:

Description

Open a fortune cookie, read it aloud. Then improvise a scene based on the fortune.

Variations

Give every player a fortune cookie; each player then need to show that fortune in his or her

character.


Handicapped Fairy Tale

Players: 2-4

Emcee: 1

Description

Very silly but very effective. Ask the audience for a fairy tale. Then give every player one or

more characters in the story. Ask for a handicap or peculiar state of mind for each character and

improvise the fairy tale.


Helping Hands

Players: 4

Emcee: 1

Description

Scene played by 4 players, playing 2 characters. Each character consists of one player, who does

the voice, holding his hands behind his back. Another player stands behind player 1, and

provides the `hands`.

The story should be a give and take between voices and hands. Also known as Arm Game. . n

Variations

Have 2 players provide the arms, one each.


Hesitation

Players: 2-3

Emcee: 1

Description

In this game a scene is played, in which at any time, any player may `hesitate`, and ask the

audience for help. Anything provided by the audience must be justified and incorporated.

Examples:

James, hand me that .... (signs the audience for a word) -- Lollypop.

Ah, I was sailing the 7 seas in my .... Newspaper. Yes, Newspaper, finest vessel ever built

by ..... (martians)


Last Line

Players: 2-3

Emcee: 1

Description

Get a line (any line) from the audience. Players play a scene that concludes with the given line.

Variations

Ask for a first line as well. Also known as First Line Last Line. .


No P

Players: All

Emcee: 1

Description

Players play a scene (perhaps based on an audience suggestion) but they cannot use the letter `P`

(or any other letter). When a player uses a `P`, the audience screams `Die` and the player is

replaced by another on. The scene continues, and the new player needs to take over the character

of the player he replaces.


Rhymes

Players: All

Emcee: 1

Description

Scene played in verses. The idea is that the first player offers a line, and the second player

rhymes to that. Then the second player offers another line, with which the first player needs to

make a rhyme.

Players that hesitate or forget to rhyme `die` and are replaced by other players. The idea is to

keep the story going, so players that can`t find a good rhyme that would advance the story better

die than screw up the story.


Timeline

Players: As Needed

Emcee: 1

Description

A scene is played, number of players unlimited. The scene starts in prehistoric times, and evolves

through the ages, till it ends in the future.

The idea is to stick to one and the same story line, but as time progresses, characters may take on

characteristics or use attributes appropriate to the `time`. Of course, every characteristic and

attribute needs to be justified and take the scene forward.


Touch to Talk

Players: 2-3

Emcee: 1

Description

In this handle players play a scene in which they can only use speech when they touch each

other.

Notes

Fun when played in locations when people don`t usually touch each other, like a

confession chair, a sauna.

Don`t go for the easy option of just touching your partner`s forearm or shoulder - there

are so many ways to touch each other. Try hugging, fighting, baptizing, tickling.


Walkout

Players: 3

Emcee: 1

Description

You need at least 3 players for this one. Give each player a word. Start playing a scene with 2

players. As soon as a player hears her word, she has to leave the scene. As soon as she hear her

word again, she needs to walk into the scene again. Walkouts and re-entrances need to be

justified.

Also known as Exit Game.

Tim’s suggestion

We have the audience write down words on slips of paper. Each player draws a slip at the

beginning of the game. So each player only knows their word.


Without Sound

Players: 2-3

Emcee: 1

Description

A scene in played, in which no talk of no sounds are allowed.

Tim’s suggestion:

We get a situation that would normally involve a lot of sound/speaking. Something like visiting

the doctor, having a tooth pulled, rock paper scissors tournament, etc,.


Alphabet Game

Players: All

Emcee: 1

Description

This is a scene consisting of 26 lines of dialog. The first line starts with a given letter (say `R`).

The reply to that line must start with a `S`, and so on, until the whole alphabet has been covered.

After `Z` comes `A`.

Players that hesitate, or use the wrong letter `Die`, and are replaced by another player. The

replacement needs to take over the character of the player she replaces.


Day in the Life

Players: 2-4

Emcee: 1

Description

The MC picks a member of the audience and interviews this person about their average (work)

day. Questions asked may include `What is your job?", "Where do you live, with who?", "What

are your hobbies?", "How do you get to work?", "Who are your colleagues?", and more. The

players then improvise a day in the life of this audience member, based on the elements provided

by the interview.


Story Story Die(Novel w/ Elimination)

Players: All

Emcee: 1

Description

Players form a line on the stage. A title for a story, and a story genre is obtained from the

audience. The MC starts the game by pointing to a player, who needs to start telling the story. At

any point in time the MC can switch to another player, who needs to continue the story

flawlessly, even if the switch happened in the middle of a sentence or even in the middle of a

word.

Players that hesitate, or whose sentences are not grammatically correct or don`t make sense, are

boo-ed out of the game, by the audience yelling `Die`. The last player left ends the story.


The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Advice

Players: 3

Emcee: 1

Description

3 players, form a line (or sit down). The audience provides questions or problems for which they

need advice. The 3 players provide good, bad, and really bad advice.

Have the MC choose who provide what advice, so everyone can have a stab at really bad advice.

If the `bad advice` is really bad, then the Ugly advice should be even worse.

You can play this as a Die game - if a bad advice is not followed by an even worse advice,

replace the last player by another one


Animalistics

Players: 2-3

Emcee: 1

Description

Ask the audience for animals. Players play a scene, in which the characters are based on these

animals.

Notes

Players do not `become` the animals, they only take over characteristics of the animals.

Characteristics may be physical, vocal or Status based. For example, `chicken` might inspire a

player to a cowardly character, moving about jerkily.

Also known as Totems. - this can be played as an exercise: write totem names on slips of paper.

Give every player a totem before they play a scene. You can extend the animal name; make it

more specific. Play with things like Bald Eagle rather than Eagle; or Silver Moon, Sitting Bull,

etc.

Tim’s Suggestion:

Also get a place, event, or type of social gathering from the audience.


Animals

Players: At Least 4(must be even)

Emcee: 1

Description

Make sure you have an even number of players. Give everyone an animal, but make sure that

there are 2 of each, and that nobody knows which other player is which animal.

Then give a number of activities, which the animals perform. Try

Eating. Eating when you`re really hungry

Drinking. Drinking when you`re really thirsty

Lovemaking

Grooming

Fighting

Sleeping

At the end, ask the players to find the other animal of their kind. Ask the others if they found out

who was which animal.

Variations

Let 2 players be humans.


Funeral Service

Players: At least 3

Emcee: 1

Description

This improv game handle can be used both as a Long Form format and as an exercise.

The stage is set up as a funeral, or a viewing the night before the funeral. One player is the

deceased, bang in the middle and very visible in or on e.g. a table or a couple of chairs

representing the casket.

Audience suggests an odd or peculiar way to die, and then the death is played. Perhaps characters

present during the funeral service were there at the time of death. After death, the dead gets back

into her coffin and we return to the service.

Then, taking turns, guests at the funeral service step up and present, in a monologue, their

experience with the deceased. After each monologue what was described is played, like a flash-

back.


Object Narrative

Players: All

Emcee: 1

Description

Place one chair on stage. The group sits or stands to the sides so they can see what is going on.

Someone chooses an object from the room and places it on the chair. (Or get an object from the

audience in a show) That object is your suggestion.

One at a time, three members (or however many you decide) do a short monologue off that

object. One person starts and when they are done, they leave the object on the chair for the next

person. Whoever is inspired jumps up next adding their part of the story/situation from another

character`s point of view. and the third person completes the cycle.

This exercise is extremely character based. The first character sets the story in motion and then

the other two people find a way to be another interesting character that will accept and heighten

the first initiation. The challenge is to not be totally predictable with the follow up character

choices (avoid immediately choosing to be the spouse when you could be that person`s

mailman...or manicurist instead). At the same time you still want to support the story line and

justify what the previous characters have already established. The characters don`t have to know

each other, but they must have connections (if only through the object).


Old Job New Job

Players: 2

Emcee: 1

Description

Improvise a scene with 2 players, and give them a job (or let the audience provide the job). Then

tell them what job they had in a previous life.

The idea is that somehow in the scene characters reflect their previous jobs in their actual life.

The idea is not to `play` the old job, but to show character traits of someone with the old job

while performing the new job (are we making sense here?)


Supermen

Players: 4

Emcee: 1

Description

A great Pimping game. 4 players. First player gets from the audience a silly little problem, like

My Shoelaces are Untied, and a simple object, say a kitchen cabinet.

First player starts a scene in which the Problem arises, and her character is unable to fix the

problem. Hence she calls in (explicitly) the help of Kitchen Cabinet Man. This is a SuperHero,

like Superman, Spiderman, you know that kind of cartoon-character hero types.

Our Superman comes in with lots of brou-haha (high Status ) only to make the problem worse

(and a status switch to low status). So our hero calls in the help of yet another Superman. Use

whatever you can think of first. Say Toothpaste Man. Again this hero comes in high status,

screws up even more, does a status switch and calls in yet another hero, who finally fixes the

problem.

The game is really pimping folks into playing outrageous superheroes. The status switch from

high to low after screwing up is pretty important too here.


Voices From Heaven

Players: 4

Emcee: 1

Description

Excellent game for building characters and group-storytelling.

4 players, ask the audience who they are, what their occupation would be.

These 4 characters have died together, and they are going to tell us how that came about. Players

line up. The game is played in 3 rounds. In every round, each player offers some information

about how they happened to die. At the end of the thirds round, they should all be dead.


Hat Continuation

Players: 2-3

Emcee: 1

Description

Start a scene, and identify each of the characters by means of a hat. The MC will interrupt

(freeze) the game from time to time, and switch the players` hats. After the switch each player

becomes the character that previously wore his or her hat.

The story needs to continue and should make sense.


Zoom-In Zoom-Out

Players: 2-3

Emcee: 1

Description

A scene is played; at any time the MC or host calls "zoom-out" - at that point, the scene

continues, but is played with finger puppets (as if the audience is watching the scene from fart

away, and all characters are finger-sized). This continues until the host calls "zoom-in", after

which the scene continues in "normal" size. Alter between zoom-in and zoom-out ad libitum.


Asides

Players: 2-3

Emcee: 1

An improvised scene is played, which any player can stop at any time by yelling freeze. At that

point, the player steps out of the scene, and tells the audience what his character is really

thinking, after which the scene continues. The other characters of course are not supposed to

know what players are thinking, but the players do, and should use this.

Notes

Players can use this to reveal their hidden motives. Other players can play into this, or purposely

ignore this knowledge.

Gimmick: characters may actually have other things on their minds than what`s going on in the

scene. E.g. a driver stopped by a cop may be thinking about the groceries his wife told him to get

at the supermarket.

Variations

The thoughts of the players can also be provided by players off-stage. Also known as Alter Ego.

Also known as Consciences.


Balladeer

Players: All

Emcee: 1

Description

In this musical improv handle, one player is the balladeer, who starts singing a ballad about an

audience suggestion. The other players actually play what the balladeer sings about, in slow

motion.

This is actually group story-building, as the players are inspired by what the balladeer sings

(obviously) but also, their actions can/should inspire the balladeer.


Blues Jam

Players: 1-3

Emcee: 1

Description

Ask the audience for 5 things that give them the blues. Then improvise a blues jam about those

elements


Boris

Players: 2

Emcee: 1

Description

2 players play an improvised interrogation scene. One is the interrogator, the other is a suspect.

The interrogator randomly throws unconnected elements to the suspect, who needs to incorporate

these and get himself into (even more) trouble.

And then we have Boris, who is a nasty, huge, but invisible thug assisting the interrogator. Every

time the interrogator does not like the suspect`s answers (and also when the suspect does not

incriminate himself enough), the interrogator calls on Boris to torture the suspect, prodding him

to confess or incriminate him even further.

Notes

we do not establish the crime beforehand

the suspect mimes being tortured by Boris

the investigator can tell Boris what to do (break his leg), but it is more fun to leave the

choice of torture up to the suspect

if the torture does not go far enough to the investigator`s taste, he can always call in

Boris` evil twin brother, Igor (also invisible)

as a gag, the suspect can also incriminate Boris (who can turn out to be a

witness/accomplice to the crime).


Bucket

Players: 2-3

Emcee: 1

Description

Before the show ask the audience to write simple sentences on slips of paper. Those go in a big

bucket.

A scene is improvised, and at random moments the players don`t just invent a line of dialog, but

use a line off a piece of paper drawn from the bucket. Anything said is accepted, heightened and

integrated.


CD Shop

Players: At least 3

Emcee: 1

Description

This is a variation on Greatest Hits , for those over 30 (those under 30 never bought CDs in a

physical shop, we fear). Setting is a CD shop, one player is the sales person, the other is a client.

Audience suggestion is someone to buy a present for, or an occasion to buy a present. Say

"graduating medical school". The buyer is looking for an appropriate CD to buy for this

person/occasion.

The seller presents several CDs, each CD gets an explicit style/artist, and the seller offers to

demo an appropriate song. E.g. for the graduation, "How about a Lady Gaga album? Her new

album is called "Doctor Love" and it has this great song "Measles". One or more other players

(and preferably a musician) then perform the song.

After 3-4 songs the buyer agrees to buy the album and scene ends.


Commercial

Players: As Needed

Emcee: 1

Description

Ask for a product (existing or non-existing). Then play a commercial for that product.


Confessions

Players: All or As Needed

Emcee: 1

Description

Not exactly theater but fun when played well. The MC gets a bunch of `confessions` from the

audience. These can be really lame, like e.g. Ì vote democratic`, Ì used to be a man`, Ì sold a

kidney`, whatever.

Then players line up. One player steps forward, and gets a confession from the host. Player utters

the confession in a character, and immediately another player jumps in and offers a witty reply.

Do this as long as players have ideas for replies. Then replace the first player by a new one, give

her a new confession and repeat ad libitum.


Continuing Styles

Players: 2

Emcee: 1

Description

A `neutral` improvised scene is started. This scene gets interrupted several times by the MC, and

then continued in a film/ literature/ drama/ TV-program style provided by the audience.

The platform and the story need to continue flawlessly.


Ding

Players: 2

Emcee: 1

Description

A scene is played. Whenever the MC ring a bell (or yells `Ding`), the player that is doing

something/saying something needs to say/do something else.

Notes

Doing `something else` is quite often interpreted as doing/saying the opposite of what you did

before. One can be more creative, e.g. repeat what was said in a different emotion.

If you use this as an exercise on Spontaneity the trainer can `Ding` quite often (very frustrating

for the players, but they will come up with stuff they never would have thought of before).

Disadvantage of this is that the story/characters tend to get lost. Use sparingly for performance.


Famous Last Words

Players: All

Emcee: 1

Description

MC asks the audience for famous (living or dead) people, or characters in movies, cartoons or

songs. Players line up and invent `famous last words` for the subjects given by the audience.


Famous Person Endowment

Players: 3-4

Emcee: 1

Description

1 player gets a number of famous persons; one for each other player in the scene. Then a scene is

played with all players, and player 1 endows the others with the personalities given by the

audience.


Fortune Teller

Players: 2-3

Emcee: 1

Description

One player covers his ears while the others get `predictions` from the audience; one prediction

per other player. First player then plays a fortune teller who must be endowed by the others to

predict the given predictions.


Goon River

Players: 3-4

Emcee: 1

Description

This is an improv format that consists of monologues. The story is not played, but told. The

players (typically 3 or 4) line up in front of the audience, Based on a single audience suggestion

they all tell the same story, each as their own character in that story.

The play usually starts with every character introducing him or herself. The order in which

characters speak is not really important, as long as they all speak.

After the introductions, things start to happen. Every character reflects on what is happening

from their own perspective, and each character adds elements to the story.

Keep going (and make sure that every character keeps contributing) and reincorporating as long

as things stay interesting.


Greatest Hits

Players: 4

Emcee: 1

Description

This game was made famous by the TV show "Whose line is it anyways". Typically played with

4 players. 2 of these are the hosts of a tv commercial, trying to sell a CD compilation of 'greatest

hits'. Audience suggestion is the theme of the CD. E.g. a profession: "accountants". The CD to be

sold is then "Songs for Accountants".

The hosts discuss the CD, why viewers should buy it, and select 3-4 tracks. Each track gets a title

and a style, e.g. (for accountants) "The IRS blue" - which in this case also implies the style. The

other players then improvise that song, in that style.

For examples, do a search on youtube for WLIIA Greatest Hits.


Ground Control

Players: 4 (2 with audience participation)

Emcee: 1

Description

4 players. 2 players will be Ground Controllers, the other 2 provide the dialog in the scene. Each

player has one ground controller assigned to them. The Ground Controllers use flashlights

(preferably with cones attached like they use at airports) to direct the movement of the players.

The players cannot move unless directed by the ground controller.

Variations

Use audience members to play the Ground Controllers.

Notes

Prop needed: Flashlight with affixed cone like they use on the runway at airports. Players need to

be ready to justify why they are moving about on stage and not simply just walk back and forth.

Movement of the flashlight left or right will more the players left or right on stage. Consider

flashlight movement up and down can move the player up and down stage or cause them to

"climb" or crawl.


Hall of Justice

Players: 5+

Emcee: 1

Description

Fun game for 5+ players, involving superheroes and villains. Get 4 suggestions from he

audience, e.g. hammer, coffee, influenza and briefcase. This will give us 2 superheroes:

Hammerman and his sidekick coffeewoman. We will also have 2 villains: influenzaman and his

aide briefcasegirl. The other players play the villain`s victims.

Villains and heroes should try and use as many attributes of their suggestion as they justifiably

can.


He Said She Said

Players: 2 or 4

Emcee: 1

Description

Excellent game to show how Endowment works. 2 players; each player will state the action the

other player must perform, followed by his own line.

Example:

1: "I want a divorce"

2: "She said, while grabbing a knife from the kitchen table." At this point player 1 needs

to take a knife. Player 2 continues with his own line. "Sure Honey"

1: "He said, while turning to the sports page of the paper". Now, it`s quite clear that

player 2 should be paying more attention to the paper than to his wife. Player 1 continues

with her own line. "You`re not listening to me"

and so on.

Players refer to each other as `he` and `she`, and endow each other with the next action to take.

This can be quite funny, if you endow your partner to do crazy or not-so-nice things to you (or to

themselves, but that`s would not be Mr. Nice Guy ).

Variations

Can be done with 4 players: 2 provide the lines, and the 2 others provide the `directions` - each

director provides the action for one of the 2 talkers.

Can also be one with 3 players: one provides directions and both other players do their own

dialogue.


Human Props

Players: All

Emcee: 1

Excellent exercise for building environments and object work. Ask one player to start doing an

activity that somehow defines (broadly) a location. E.g. when someone starts typing she might be

in a (home) office. The other players then become the other objects in the environment.

Notes

Tell the first player she can start using the props built by other players in the environment (if she

recognizes them). Tell players to go for the obvious: in just about any room you could be a plant,

a door or a table, after all.

When done, ask the first player to name any `object` built in the environment.

Variations

You can use this as a handle for a performance. When a player is asked to sit down, and there are

no chairs on the scene, another player can become the chair for the first player to sit on. Other

examples are ticking clocks in haunted houses, cabinets and closets, you name it.


Irish Drinking Song

Players: 4

Emcee: 1

Description

4 players sing a song about a subject, given by the audience, on an Irish-sounding tune, one line

at a time. 4 lines makes 1 verse; after the first verse, a second verse is started by player number

2; and so forth. After 4 verses every player has both started and ended a verse and the song is

over.

Played quite often in Whose Line is it Anyway. You`ll find plenty of examples on

YouTube.com.

Variations

Invent your own choreography and have the players dance as they sing.


Jeopardy

Players: All

Emcee: 1

Description

This games is not unlike World’s Worst : have the players close/cover their ears. Then ask the

audience for questions and answers. Examples would be:

What is the color of an American school bus? Yellow.

What is dyslexia? Not being able to make words out of letters.

Write down the answers, not the question.

Then give the players an answer and let them come up with questions that might be answered

correctly by that answer. It`s kind of like `what would the worst/sillies/funniest question be that

could have this answer?


Little Voice

Players: All

Emcee: 1

Description

One player plays an improvised scene. The other player(s) play the voice(s) of objects in the

environment in which the first player plays.

Anything can have a voice. Examples:

a player walks in a forest and an ant starts talking to him

a player is in the bathroom and his toothbrush starts talking

Variations

You can script the text of the little voice, and have the player justify anything that is said. See

Actor`s Nightmare. See Evil Stick of Gum for a different variation of the same improv game.

Notes

Make sure players immediately make clear what exactly is doing the talking. Either the voice

makes this clear, or the other player:

Oh my god, a talking duck with a machine gun!

Bet you`ve never seen a talking couch, have you?


Marriage Counsel Endowment

Players: 3

Emcee: 1

Description

One player is sent out of the room while the host gets 2 relationship problems from the audience.

2 other players play a couple with these problems, and player one is the therapist. Players need to

get the therapist to figure out what the relationship problems are.


More or Less

Players: 5 or more

Emcee: 1

Description

This is a nice improv show format.

Any number of players from 5 upwards. Every player takes turns presenting a scene. First player

starts, asks audience suggestions if needed, and directs the scene to the extent needed. After a

couple of minutes the director asks the audience: more or less. Audience yells their preference,

and if “More” sounds loudest, scene is continued. If audience yells “Less”, then the scene is not

continued and another player presents another scene.


Narrator

Players: 2-4

Emcee: 1(The emcee is the Typist.)

Description

This improv format is like Typewriter without the typewriter: players improvise a scene, which a

narrator describes and comments upon. Also known as Attenborough. - after the way sir

Richard Attenborough did his famous nature programmes.


Pillars

Players: 2-3

Emcee: 1

Description

Put one member of the audience on stage (the pillar). A scene is played, but each player can at

any point stop his sentence and ask the Pillar to provide the next word.


Poet Translator

Players: 1(Poet)

Emcee: 1(Translator)

Description

A simple translation game. The setup is a foreign language poet, who performs some of his work

in Gibberish . The translator translates. Nice is number of lines, metrum, and rhymes are kept.


Press Conference

Players: 3-8

Emcee: 1

Description

This is a verbal improv game, played with 3 to 8 players. One player leaves the room, while the

audience provides the name of a famous or historical person. The `absent` player will give a

press conference, but he does not know who he is. The other players are journalists, whose

questions should provide indications to who the mystery guest might be.

Game ends when our player guesses who he is.

Notes

The `journalists` should really play journalist characters. They can take photographs, or have a

fight about who gets to ask the next question.

Variations

Instead of a famous or historical person, choose an expert. The game is over when the `expert`

figures out what he or she is expert in.


Protest Song

Players: As Needed

Emcee: 1

Description

Ask the audience for something that pisses them off. Then improvise a song about it, like the 70s

screw-the-government type characters. Typically done as a Verse-Chorus type song.


Scene Replay

Players: 2 or more(Depending on variation)

Emcee: 1

Description

Ask 2 players to play a short scene. One could limit the scene to 8 lines of dialog per player.

Then ask the players to replay the scene, based on some audience suggestions for:

a particular emotion. Also known as Emotion Replay.

an era. Also known as Through the Ages. Also known as Historical Replay.

a different location

a film / TV / literature style. Also known as Style Replay.

in Gibberish

backwards. Also known as Backwards Scene.

Variations

You can time the scene to 1 minute, and then replay in 30 seconds, 15 seconds, 7 seconds and 3

seconds.

This variation is Also known as Countdown. and Also known as Half Life. .

Other variations:

have the scene replayed by 2 other players

insist that the dialog remains exactly the same


Something Old Something New

Players: 5

Emcee: 1

Description

An excellent group improv game to train listening skills. Taken from the old wedding adage,

"Something old, Something new, Something borrowed, Something blue."

5 players, one player - the bride, leaves the room. The remaining 4 players each get one of the

following from the audience:

Something old

Something new

Something borrowed

Something blue

The idea is that player number 5, the Bride, needs to guess each of the 4 players items. Game

ends when all 4 items have been guessed.

The players need to provide hints to the bride, but they cannot explicitly tell the bride what they

are or what they have. Similar in essence to The Party.

Notes

Works best if players help the bride by providing hints as to the other characters items. The

players can chose to "be" the item or simply have the item and try and present it to the bride only

dropping hints. One example; Something old = Abacus, Something new = IPhone (new at time

of writing), Something borrowed = Chainsaw, Something blue = Blue Whale. Very important

that the 4 players (not the bride) pay attention to the other players items and are available to drop

hints to help it along.


Sounds Like a Song

Players: 2

Emcee: 1

Description

Play a scene (or series of scenes). At any time, anyone can stop the scene and say `Sounds like a

song`, after which the player(s) sing a song based on the last line that was spoken, or last action

that was done.


Sportz Center

Players: 3

Emcee: 1

Description

3 players, and an everyday activity (brushing your teeth, washing your car).

In this game, the everyday activity is performed as if it were done at the olympics or at a world

championship. One player is the athlete, and the two others are in a TV studio - one is the

interviewer who interviews the athlete`s trainer, as the athlete performs the task.

Usually, something goes wrong and the athlete fails miserably. Gimmicks may include:

Interviewing the athlete on the field after the win (or the disaster)

Asking for a replay of a particularly dramatic moment

Asking for a replay with a different camera (different angle)


Stunt Double

Players: 3

Emcee: 1

Description

A scene is played by 2 players. Every time a player needs to do something difficult/unpleasant,

another player jumps in as a stunt double. When done, the stunt double freezes the scene and the

original player continues the scene.

Tim’s Suggestion: The stunt double should exaggerate as largely as possible.


Sybil

Players: 1

Emcee: 1(Preferably same as the player)

Description

This is basically a one-person Long Form. In this format the player plays all characters. The play

typically starts with a character monologue and then goes into scenes alternated with more

monologues.

One could summarize the `rules` as:

you play all the characters and their dialogue in the scenes

Monologues are either internal (to the character) or to the audience, addresses as a group

(a minister preaching to a church, a person introducing himself at a job interview).

Origin

The format is attributed to Andy Eninger. The name is based on a book with the same title, about

Sybil Dorsett, a survivor of child abuse who was diagnosed with the first multiple personality

disorder. She allegedly played host to 16 separate personalities.


The Gerbil

Players: 2

Emcee: 1

Description

Invent a silly dramatic story, and explain it to the audience. Classic example is the following:

"After fixing the roof, Roger decided to clean the house, including the cage of Mary`s gerbil. He

put the animal in a frying pan, from which it escaped to the roof, where it got stuck in some fresh

tar. Roger put it back in its cage, where it got smothered by the fresh woodchips. Roger tried to

use a solvent to clean the creature, but the solvent fumes cause the creature to die of a cardiac

arrest. At that point Mary walks in".

This is when the scene starts: Roger needs to explain what happens, but as soon as the audience

starts laughing Roger is replaced by another player who gets a new shot. The idea is to try and

play the scene without getting the audience to laugh.

Notes

Don`t stick to the gerbil story - you can invent any silly story for this game.


The Party

Players: 4

Emcee: 1

Description

One player plays a character that is having a party. The other players will be the guests, and the

audience provides us with who the guests might be. Of course the host does not know who the

guests are. His task is to guess who the guests might be, based on hints the guests offer.

The games is over as soon as the host has guessed all guests.

Variations

Use quirks instead of characters - Also known as Party Quirks.


Trivial Pursuit

Players: All

Emcee: 1

Description

MC asks the audience to pick Trivial Pursuit cards. Players line up, and the MC reads questions

from the cards picked by the audience. Players invent the funniest answer to these questions.

Notes

The MC needs to screen the questions; a question like `In what year electricity was invented`

should be avoided. As there are 6 questions on a card, go for the question that is vaguest and

offers most options.

Variations

Read the answer, and let the players come up with the question. See also Reverse Trivial Pursuit.


TV News

Players: 3

Emcee: 1(Can also be a player)

3 players, who play characters in a TV newscast. One will be the lead anchor, another will do the

weather, and the third is a reporter at a location. Then, a newscast is played.

Variations

Ask for an audience suggestion for a central theme in the newscast.


Typewriter

Players: As Needed

Emcee: 1(Typist)

Description

This is a nice handle to structure scenes. One of the players is the Narrator. He has a (mimed)

typewriter and starts the scene by reading aloud as he types. As soon as the Narrator has given a

few elements, the players take over and start playing the scene.

At any point, the Narrator can take over again, perhaps switch to another location, introduce new

character, and provide tilts or flashbacks.

Variations

When a scene goes bad, the Narrator can mime ripping a couple of pages of his story apart, and

restart the scene (or the story).


Zapping

Players: 4

Emcee: 1

Description

4 players, each chooses a TV format(or gets on from the audience), like the News, a

documentary, a Pokemon show, you name it. The audience provides a central theme, and the MC

will `zap` through the channels. Miraculously, all broadcasts cover the same theme.


improv games collection

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