The Encyclopedia of Interactive Performance

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Exercises

Death row

Play a scene in which an inmate and a loved one are spending their last time together before the inmate is sent to the electric chair. Each character may only speak a total of three lines.

connection

Topics

Debrief

See: How to debrief spects

spects rehearsals production

Exercises

Debrief practice

Player A plays the host, Player B plays the inter-actor, Player C plays the spect. Player A leads a spect debrief for an imaginary scene.

rehearsals debriefs

Topics

Deep listening

paying attention to more than just words

Words are key to communication. So is the information that comes in other forms. It may be a tone of voice, a facial expression, body language, something implied, or something inferred. Deep listening absorbs all this information.

responding definitions

Topics

Defined offer

an offer that clearly establishes a story detail

Defined offers establish story elements in unambiguous ways. When the details of the fiction are clear, it’s easier for everyone to play.

offers improvisation definitions

Exercises

Derail the premise

Player A begins a scene with a given premise. Player B tries to derail the premise by changing anything is not explicitly defined by Player A.

flexibility difficult spects context

Topics

Details and specifics

verbal particulars that make a fictional world seem real

There’s a big difference between “I like your house.” and “ I can’t believe you own a beach bungalow here in Malibu.” The difference is the detail that paints a specific picture.