Improv Exercises

3 X different

Two people face each other. Round 1 They mutually count repeatedly "one", "two", "three". Automatically the start with "one" changes: ...

Advance and Illustrate

Players begin a scene. From outside, the facilitator calls two commands: 'Advance!' — players must move the plot forward with new infor...

AED (Action Emotion Detail)

One player tells a story. Three others give signals when they want more Action, more Emotion, or more Detail. Each is responsible for one...

Association Circle with Recall

In the first phase, several rounds of free association go around the circle (as in the basic Association Circle). In the second phase, e...

Being Positive

A normal scene begins. The players must be relentlessly, persistently positive throughout. The moment any player shows a hint of negativi...

Big Cat Needle

A simple but excellent exercise for building complicity between players. The center of the room is marked with an object. Two players st...

Breathing Exercise

A sustained tone is sung. The throat is opened as wide as possible, as if yawning, without opening the mouth too wide. The lower jaw mov...

Category Circle

Players pass words from a category (e.g. vegetables, sports) crisscross through the circle. Each person has one turn per round. The patte...

Character exercise (character switch)

All go through the room, each with a certain character. Whenever you meet, you speak two sentences together, and the character is slowly ...

Character Walk

Everyone walks through the room embodying a specific character. When two players meet, they exchange a sentence or two in character. Var...

Circle Crawl

6-14 players sit in a circle on the floor. After a quiet moment (perhaps a breathing exercise), anyone who feels the impulse slowly and l...

Clapping in Threes

Three players (A, B, C). A claps to B. The uninvolved player C must then clap to someone. That triggers the next uninvolved player, and s...

Counting Circle

Everyone stands in a circle. The group must count to double the number of participants — so each person says two numbers. All close thei...

Cross Examination

Groups of three: one criminal, two police officers conducting an interrogation. The criminal must always say 'yes' or agree to everything...

Dancing with Light Point

A partner exercise. The leader guides the dancer by the outstretched hand. The dancer stays mostly in place but follows the hand's direct...

Diaphragm Training

A voice preparation exercise. The group stands in a circle. The facilitator sets a beat and everyone joins in. Three consonants are spok...

Different Reaction

An exercise to practice strong reactions and clear characters. A two-person scene is played. Player A initiates with a verbal offer. Pla...

Distance Fight

Two players face each other at a safe distance. One attacks using fists, feet, head, shoulders — always from a safe distance. The defende...

Emotional Chair

A solo exercise. The player sits on a chair and receives a simple prompt (e.g. 'shoes'). Their task is to continuously switch emotions — ...

Emotion Circle

One player passes an emotion (preferably positive) to their neighbor. The neighbor mirrors the emotion. Once both share the same feeling,...

Emotion Circle 2

Players stand in a circle. One says a simple sentence to their neighbor in a specific emotion with matching gestures. The neighbor repeat...

Empty Lungs

Players breathe in deeply and then walk through the room while continuously exhaling with a toneless 'shh' sound. They keep walking and e...

Encounters

The group splits into As and Bs. Both groups walk around the room. The As have high status, the Bs have low status. The As make eye conta...

Enjoying Food and Drink

This exercise trains how to eat and drink on stage through pantomime. How do you eat an apple hungrily? Cherries elegantly? A banana sed...

Facial Expressions

All walk through the room. The facilitator names a facial feature — nose, ears, forehead, eyes, mouth, cheeks, tongue. Everyone moves tha...

Fast Food Stanislavski

Two players play a scene with a given title or location. Each player receives a secret subtext for their character — their hidden motivat...

Following Movement Impulses

Players lie relaxed on the floor with eyes closed. They tune into their body and follow any movement impulse — a twitch, an urge to stret...

Follow the Follower

Several players perform a specific action simultaneously without a designated leader. No one decides when to start or change — the group ...

Gentle Manipulation

A listening exercise for tuning in to your scene partner. Player A leaves the room. The others decide on an action (e.g. washing a car, ...

Gossip Sisters

Two groups (A and B) of equal size. Group A forms a tight circle in the center and whispers as quietly as possible about a topic. Group B...

Held Still Then Walk

A quiet body awareness exercise. Players walk through the room, then form pairs of similar height. In each pair, one stands behind the o...

Hitting the Note

A well-known song is sung, but each syllable is sung as briefly as possible — just a quick tap on each note. This exercise trains the ab...

Human Wall

For larger groups (10+). All players except one line up against a wall. Player A stands facing them at a distance, then runs toward the w...

Humming Gates

Players stand in pairs facing each other with raised arms touching, spread throughout the room. Each person hums continuously at their ow...

Imitation Circle

Players stand in a circle. A pattern is established where each person has a predecessor and a successor across the circle. Each player wa...

Leading Exercises

Pair exercises where one player closes their eyes and the other leads them through the room in various ways: Leading by the hand Leadin...

Look and Die

All players stand in a circle looking at the floor. The facilitator calls 'Now!' and everyone instantly looks up at one other player. If...

Make It Bigger

A player begins a scene. When the facilitator claps, the player must freeze and continue doing exactly what they were doing at that momen...

Making Routines More Interesting

This exercise trains staying present in a mundane action without planning ahead. A player performs a routine activity (brushing teeth, m...

Mantra

Two players sit facing each other and have a conversation about a mundane topic. Then repeat the same conversation, but this time each p...

Mirror Exercises

Two players face each other. One leads with slow movements, the other mirrors exactly. The goal is for an observer to not be able to tell...

Mirror Faces

Player A faces the group in a semicircle. Everyone mirrors A's facial expressions as precisely as possible. Variant a) Mirror exactly. V...

Movement Impulse Through Touch

Players form pairs. One stands with closed eyes. The other gently taps various body parts. At each touch, the standing player responds by...

Multi-Headed Expert

At least three players form one character — a multi-headed expert. They stand side by side with arms around each other's shoulders. The e...

Multitasking

Three players: A stands in the center. B stands in front doing slow upper body movements. C does slow lower body movements. A must mirror...

Name Circle

Players form pairs and exchange names — each takes the other's name. One person is left without a partner and keeps their own name. This...

New House

A concentration exercise with winking. Players stand in a circle. Player A winks discreetly at Player B. B signals with a subtle nod that...

One Too Many

3-5 players on stage. As the name says, one player is too many. That player must be excluded by the group — but everyone wants to belong....

On the Line

All players stand side by side on a line, facing forward. Space is needed in front, behind, left, and right. Phase 1: The facilitator ca...

Opposites

The facilitator asks players to do the opposite of what is instructed. Speak quietly = speak loudly. Walk forward = walk backward. Stand...

Overwhelming the Listener

Four players. One stands in the center as the listener. Three others stand in front, left, and right, each telling a different story simu...

Pantomime with Hand Signals

One player performs random pantomime without a theme. Behind them, 4-5 players stand in a row, copying the movements. The watching audie...

Paperclip Game

A great exercise for recognizing patterns and heightening offers. Players stand in a line. One steps forward and describes a mundane obje...

Passing the Tone

Players stand in a circle. The first sings a tone on any vowel. Their neighbor listens and matches the tone. Once the first player hears ...

Perception Circle

In a circle, two types of signals are passed in opposite directions: 'Bunny': Hold index fingers up as ears, look at neighbor, say 'eee...

Rapid Fire Words

Two players face each other. Player 1 lists words for 30 seconds — whatever comes to mind (usually an associative chain forms). Then Play...

Room Installation

Players form pairs. The first player prepares a kitchen for a party, pantomiming tables, chairs, cupboards, sink, dishes — installing eve...

Setting Up a Room

The first player enters through an imaginary door and begins using a pantomimed object — perhaps a coffee machine. The next player enters...

Shifted Question Circle

Players stand in a circle. One enters the center and faces each person in turn, receiving a simple question from each. But the answer to ...

Slow Motion Fight

Players perform a pantomime fight in slow motion. Gestures and facial expressions are expansive and exaggerated. Both players must give ...

Slow-motion Rumble

The players are having a pantomimic brawl in slow motion. The gestures and facial expressions are expansive and often a little exaggerate...

Solo Song with Tempo Change

With or without a given topic, the musician picks a melody and style. The player sings a verse, then the tempo suddenly changes — the sin...

Sound Shower

One player stands in the center with closed eyes. The other players stand or move around them, making all kinds of sounds — wind, animals...

Spy (The Burglar)

A solo exercise for playing the space. The player enters a room (the stage) as a spy or burglar, carefully exploring the environment thro...

Status Chain

A situation is given (e.g. restaurant). One player has absolute high status (the guest). The guest's wishes are passed down a chain of de...

Status Group

Four players draw cards numbered 1 (high status) to 4 (low status). They play a scene, each embodying their assigned status level. After...

Steal the Hat

Deux joueurs ou plus sont sur scène et développent une scène simple. Chaque joueur porte un chapeau. L'objectif des joueurs est de voler ...

Steal the Hat

Two or more players develop a scene on stage. Each wears a hat. The goal is to steal the other players' hats during the scene. A player ...

Step by Step

Nine cards are laid out in a 3x3 grid on the floor. Two players each stand on a card. The rule: you may only speak AFTER moving to a diff...

Step Forward - Step Back

Players stand in a circle holding hands, looking at each other. After a moment, the facilitator counts: 'One... two... three.' On 'three...

The Sleeping Person

A sleeping person lies in the center of the room. One or more players position themselves around the sleeper. Their task is to approach t...

The Strict Boss

Three players sit on chairs. The boss sits in the middle, subordinates on either side. The boss tries to instruct both employees, but can...

Thought Game

Two players come on stage and meet coincidentally at a location given by the audience. They have not seen each other in a long time and c...

Traffic Light

This exercise trains perception, walking, encounters, status, and physicality. Two groups stand on opposite sides of a wide space — like...

Trust Fall

Small group: Three players. One stands between the others, closes eyes, goes stiff, and slowly falls forward. The player in front catches...

Vocal Chain

This exercice is suitable for a large group. The players stand in a circle. The game master sends two vowels into the circle. Initially ...

Vocal Warm-up

Exercise 1: Everyone sings a simple well-known song in various keys set by the musician. Exercise 2: The musician plays a note, everyone...

Voice Volume Training

A sustained tone is sung with the throat as open as possible (like yawning) without opening the mouth too wide. Feel the vibration in the...

Vowel Chain

For larger groups. Players stand in a circle. The facilitator sends two vowels in opposite directions. First an 'A' goes right, then an '...

Vowel Singing

Players stand relaxed in a circle and sing five vowels in sequence: I - E - A - O - U. Imagine each vowel resonating in a different part...

Waiting Room

Four players sit side by side — they are in a doctor's waiting room. Each secretly picks one person they love, one they hate, and one who...

Walking and Standing

Players distribute themselves evenly and stand still. The facilitator calls a number — that many players may walk while everyone else rem...

Where Is...?

Players walk attentively through the room. The facilitator says 'Stop' — everyone freezes and closes their eyes. The facilitator names s...

Wink Murderer

All players walk through the room. One is secretly the murderer who kills by winking. Victims fall dramatically dead. Everyone tries to i...

Word Swing

Two players face each other, swinging their arms forward and back in sync. After three swings, on the fourth upswing, both simultaneously...

Yawning Exercise

All players walk through the room and yawn as loudly as possible. Notice how the sound comes from deep in the throat. Then try speaking ...

Yes But

Players form pairs and have a dialogue. A makes a suggestion, B finds a reason not to do it, starting with 'Yes, but...' Then switch: re...

Yes - No

Players form pairs. One can only say 'Yes', the other only 'No'. Despite this limitation, they have a full conversation using tone, volum...

Your Excellency

Played by two people: the Excellency and their advisor who acts as teacher. The advisor asks the Excellency questions. The Excellency alw...