The Encyclopedia of Interactive Performance

Spect’s offers aren’t always the most exciting, which isn’t necessarily a problem. Interesting scenes can be built out of ordinary offers. However, when it’s time to take things up a notch, it helps to have ways to make spects’ offers take on more weight. Here are some ways to give weight to spects’ ordinary offers (as well as your own).

First time/last time – Whatever activity you’re engaged in, make it the first or last time that you and/or the spect will do it.

Steve and Peggy are sharing a dance, their last before he heads off to war.

Make the activity an event – Make an ordinary activity be a happening of public importance.

Eddie and Vincent are playing a game of pool. It’s the championship game of the Atlantic City grand tournament.

Endow the subtext – Read more into the unspoken reason for what is going on.

When Dixie (spect) asks Walter how he’s doing, he interprets her question to be about whether he’s relapsed into his alcoholism.

Credit or blame – Assume that you or the spect should receive credit or blame for what is happening.

On a cross-country road trip, Kylie (spect) and Torrie are listening to a music on the radio. Torrie suddenly realizes that the song they are listening to is one that Kylie wrote.

Raise the stakes – Make the outcome of what’s going on matter more.

Sonya is helping Julissa (spect) clean up her apartment. Sonya raises the stakes by establishing that Julissa is preparing for a visit from child support services which will determine whether she gets custody of her child.

When you need to make the ordinary become important, give weight to simple offers.