The Encyclopedia of Interactive Performance

 » Clarify

Clarify

to define an ambiguous offer


There’s something elegant about using oblique offers to imply characters, relationships, activities, locations, and objects. However, if implication leaves things ambiguous, it’s hard for others to play. This is why you need the skill of clarifying.

To clarify, you use language to define what has been implied. It may feel like cheating to state it in words, but it’s not. Clarifying helps others understand the context, which frees them to play with more assurance.

Nelson has been fired from his job and now finds himself seated opposite a woman whom he has not yet encountered in the story. As she commiserates with him about his current situation, she holds his hand and calls him “sweetheart.” They clearly have a close relationship, but he still plays tentatively with her until she says, “Nelson, I’m your mother, and I’m telling you, you’re going to be fine.” Now that he knows the woman is neither his wife, nor his girlfriend, Nelson can play the relationship with more assurance.

Clarifying is particularly important when doing space work. Even if you do brilliant mime, space work objects live in the imagination. They’re open to interpretation until you clarify them.

Walker holds out a space-work object and says, “Here, try one.” The spect looks uncertainly at Walker, who clarifies, “Chocolate chip cookies. They’re from my mom’s recipe.” Reassured, the spect picks up an imaginary cookie and takes a bite.

When you clarify ambiguous offers, you put everyone on the same page, which makes it easier for everyone to play.

Updated: August 22, 2024

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Encyclopedia of Interactive Performance