Improv Exercises
Here you can find a collection of exercises for improv theatre. These exercises are intended to train specific aspects and skills in a targeted manner. The transition from exercises to games is fluid. What is still an exercise for one, the other brings as a game on stage. Please do not take over the individual exercises blindly, but think about the goals and intentions of each exercise.
Categories
Experience
Energy
Competences
Advance and Illustrate
Players begin a scene. From outside, the facilitator calls two commands: 'Advance!' — players must move the plot forward with new infor...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 ...
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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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 - No
Players form pairs. One can only say 'Yes', the other only 'No'. Despite this limitation, they have a full conversation using tone, volum...