Players
This exercise is played with two players.
Rules
- Player 1 begins miming some action.
- Player 2 shouts, "What are you doing?"
- Player 1 responds with some action other than that which he or she is miming.
Player 1 stops performing the action and watches Player 2 perform whatever action Player 1 suggested.
After several seconds (just long enough for Player 2 to establish the action he or she is performing), Player 1 shouts, "What are you doing?"
Player 2 responds with some action other than that which he or she is miming.
Player 2 stops, and Player 1 performs this action.
Repeat.
Notes
Don't be funny
"What are you doing?" should be shouted loudly and clearly.
It should sound more like a command than a question: WHATAREYOUDOING!
The purpose of this game is not to make a joke of the question ("So, uh, what are yooooooou doin'?"), nor is it to be funny. It is meant to train quick thought and action.
Action suggestions should be stated loudly, clearly, and directly.
Do not say, "I'm... baking a cake." Skip directly to the verb. "Baking a cake!"
Use of sound and environment is highly encouraged.
Makes actions with a lot of activity and alternates them with slow actions. Play with the rhythm. Surprise your teammate.
Start immediately
It is important to start immediately with the new action. For example, when you brush your teeth, you don't open the tube first and smear toothpaste on the toothbrush, but start immediately. No preparatory actions should be taken to delay or prepare for the start of the actual action.
Players may find it helpful to go down the alphabet when giving suggestions for actions. (Advancing aardvarks, Baking a cake, etc.)
Variant
The exercise can also be done with several players. The action does not switch back and forth between two players, but you form a circle and the action always moves one person forward. But this is rather a preliminary exercise to the Variant with two players. Players have the ability to plan ahead, which is much more difficult with the two-person variant.