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
4 Sentence Story
Players stand in a circle or a line to tell short stories. Each player contributes exactly one sentence. The four sentences follow this m...
5 Sentence Story
Simple storytelling in 5 steps, playable in pairs or small groups: Character and place — introduce a person and where they are Second c...
Active Post
A mix of charades and telephone. For 5 players: The facilitator shows Player 1 a compound word (e.g. 'anthill'). Player 1 must act it ou...
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
All players form a circle. One says a word to their neighbor. That neighbor associates a new word and passes it on, and so on around the ...
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...
Association Walk
Everyone walks through the room. One player suddenly stops with a loud stomp and points at someone. Everyone freezes. The stomper says a...
Ball Metamorphosis
Players stand in a circle throwing an imaginary ball to each other. Before each throw, the ball changes character — it might be heavy, sl...
Bell Tower
The group forms a circle, everyone puts their arms around their neighbors. All look down at the center of the circle. Swaying gently in r...
Best Side Story
Two teams face each other. Team 1 begins a story. Each player steps forward and advances the narrative. When the other team notices hesit...
Betty Plum
Also known as Hologram. A group of players collectively build a fictional person by contributing characteristics one at a time. If a sugg...
Boing Wush Zwong
Each player invents three comic words with matching gestures. They walk around introducing themselves with their new name. Once everyone ...
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...
Building Images
Players walk around the room. The facilitator calls out objects or locations. Players immediately form the given thing using their bodies...
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...
Choreography Exercise
Players arrange themselves in a diamond formation facing the audience. The front player leads movements — everyone behind mirrors them. W...
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...
Complement Exercise
Players form two lines on opposite sides of the stage. A player from line A starts a scene by establishing a character (e.g. a burglar). ...
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...
Country Sayings
A rhyming exercise for the group. Players stand in a circle. Going clockwise, each player contributes one word to build a country saying ...
Develop a Person
Players walk through the room. When the facilitator says 'stop', everyone freezes. The facilitator asks individual players: 'Who are you?...
Developing a Character
Players walk through the room and imagine a person — their age, profession, worries, habits. They begin moving as that person would. The...
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...
Dissociation
Players stand in a circle. Each must respond to the previous word with something that has nothing to do with it. If a logical association...
Emotional Singing
Everyone sings a simple well-known song without musical accompaniment. The facilitator calls out emotions at random — happy, angry, shy, ...
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...
Emotion Circle 3
In the circle, players read aloud from a book — the more emotionless the text, the better (e.g. an instruction manual or textbook). The r...
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...
Fake Crying
A technique exercise: do not blink for as long as possible, then blink once and repeat. The eyes naturally begin to water, producing real...
Fast Food Laban
An exercise for developing characters based on movement types, inspired by Rudolf von Laban's movement studies. Players explore combinat...
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 ...
Fortunately Unfortunately
Players tell a story sentence by sentence, alternating between fortunately and unfortunately. Player 1: 'Once upon a time there was a pi...
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, ...
Gibberish Circle
All players form a circle. One of them steps into the center and explains through some gestures something in gibberish. After the player ...
Gibberish Circle
All players form a circle. One steps into the center and explains something using gestures and gibberish (nonsense language). After retur...
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...
Guess the Expression
Player A kneels behind a chair so only their head is visible. The facilitator whispers emotions to A, who expresses them using only facia...
Guess the Status
Players embody a status level from 0 (lowest) to 10 (highest) and perform a short scene or solo. The audience guesses the number. This e...
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...
Help!
2-4 players improvise a scene. The rest watches and stays ready. Whenever a player feels overwhelmed or stuck, they call 'Help!' and a wa...
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...
Hologram
Players stand in a circle. Together they build a plausible picture of a fictional person by contributing traits one at a time: name, age,...
Humming Gates
Players stand in pairs facing each other with raised arms touching, spread throughout the room. Each person hums continuously at their ow...
I Am a Tree
A popular exercise perfect for beginners. Players stand around the stage area. One enters, strikes a pose, and declares what they are: 'I...
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...
Jeopardy
Like the TV show: one player gives an answer first, and the other must come up with the matching question. Player A: 'Forty-two.' Player...
King
One player is King, sitting on a throne. The King commands what emotions the other players must display. Players step forward one at a ti...
La Ronde
The Round Dance follows the model of the same name from Arthur Schnitzler. In this play, different characters appear on the stage one aft...
Leading and Following
One player walks through the room installing imaginary obstacles — a thorn bush, a chasm, a low ceiling. They show pantomimically what ea...
Leading Body Part
Players walk through the room. The facilitator names a body part — pelvis, left shoulder, forehead, right knee, belly. Players let that b...
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...
Loud-Silent Game
Emotions are often accompanied by sounds. A surprised person says 'Ooh!' A disgusted person says 'Eww!' Players practice these basic voc...
Machine
The audience suggests a crazy machine that does not exist. Players build it one by one — each becoming a moving part with a repeated soun...
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...
Noun-Adjective Association
Two groups form facing lines. The first person says a noun and goes to the back of the opposite line. The person across associates an adj...
Once Upon a Time Model
Players stand in a circle and build a story following this model: Once upon a time... (introduce character and setting) Every day... (e...
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...
Opera Ball
An extension of the one-word story. Players form pairs in waltz position. The pairs begin a dialogue — but word by word, alternating betw...
Opposites
The facilitator asks players to do the opposite of what is instructed. Speak quietly = speak loudly. Walk forward = walk backward. Stand...
Pair Association
Four or more players form a circle. Two step into the center. The circle counts down: 'Three, two, one!' Both center players simultaneous...
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 ...
Pearl String
All players line up. Player 1 steps forward, goes to the far right, and says a sentence that could start a story. Player 2 steps forward,...
Peculiar neighbor
The players stand in a circle. In turn, each one respectively turns to his neighbor and says anything unusual/absurd /incredible that wil...
Peculiar Neighbor
Players stand in a circle. Each person turns to their neighbor and points out something unusual, absurd, or impossible about them. The ne...
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...
Picking Gifts
Players stand in a circle. One begins by plucking an imaginary object from the air. They hold it in a specific way and present it as a gi...
Redefining Objects Through Pantomime
A real object (a shoe, ball, or hat) must be redefined through pantomime so that its new meaning becomes quickly recognizable — all witho...
Revolving Door
A game for 4-5 players. One stands in the center and quickly swaps places with players at the edges. Each swap starts a new mini-scene. T...
Rhyme Circle
One player in the circle says a word and points at another. That player must say a rhyming word and point at the next person, who rhymes ...
Rhyme Circle 2
Rhyme scheme AABB: One player speaks a line, the next rhymes with it, the third starts a new rhyme, the fourth completes it. The stanza ...
Scene Starters
Players form two rows facing each other. In quick succession, each pair starts a scene. The goal is to establish basic information throug...
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 ...
Singing Circle
With musical accompaniment, players stand in a circle. One sings a line, the next must rhyme with it. The third starts a new rhyme, the f...
Singing Circle with Chorus
Four singers each contribute one line to a verse. The fifth player summarizes the theme in a two or four-line chorus. After a short paus...
Song Association
One player steps into the center and starts singing a well-known song. Before running out of lyrics, another player replaces them with a ...
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...
Statue Scene Start
A preparatory exercise for freeze tag. Players form pairs. One sculpts the other into a random statue. The statue then starts a scene fro...
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...
Status Topping
A playing area is defined. The facilitator should monitor solvability. Players enter one at a time, each establishing a higher status tha...
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...
Telephone Monologue
The facilitator and 2 players stay in the room. Player A receives a prompt and delivers a monologue in a developed character. Player B wa...
Thank You
Player A takes a pose on stage. Player B enters and takes a complementary pose that gives A's position meaning. A says 'Thank you', exits...
The Holy Grail
All players stand in a wide circle. One person enters the center with a specific character (voice, accent, posture) and approaches someon...
The Inner Animal
The facilitator writes different animal species on slips of paper. Players draw one secretly. Their task is to imagine the essence of thi...
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...
Thunderdome
Players form a circle. Two stand in the center facing each other. Someone from the circle gives a category (e.g. vegetables). The circle ...
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...
Verbal Hunt
The facilitator fires rapid questions that players must answer using the association principle — as fast as possible. The questions shou...
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...
What Are You Doing
Two players on stage. A asks B: 'What are you doing?' B names an activity: 'I am harvesting potatoes.' A then does exactly that. A asks ...
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...