Encyclopedia search
Topics
to get spects initiating verbal and physical offers on their own
Exercises
Two players play a scene in which Player A gets Player B speaking and engaged in an activity.
Topics
to provide the opportunity for spects to contribute
For spects to play as co-creators, you need to allow room. If you’re so busy making offers that there’s no room for spects to contribute, they become observers. Allow room for spects to say and do things.
Topics
clarify what the spect doesn’t understand and hasn’t asked
Next to the fear of being judged, the biggest obstacle to spects’ ability to play is not understanding what’s going on. This is to be expected. Spects start off not knowing much about the story. They’re discovering it as they go along. If they don’t understand who someone is or what’s going on, it’s hard to play. It’s doubly-difficult when there’s no reason for their character to ask for clarification. To support spects, you need the ability to recognize and answer their unspoken questions.
Topics
Questions can be helpful or problematic, depending on how you use them. Before we explore how questions can be useful, let’s consider the issues they sometimes create.
Exercises
Player B tells a story while Player A exhibits concurrent emotions related to the events of the story.
Topics
giving spects out-of-story instructions of what to do in story
One way to get spects to do things is to instruct them. When the instructions are delivered out of story, this is called cueing. Cueing can be done with hidden notes, verbal offstage instructions , or by secretly whispering to spects while on stage.
Topics
Have you ever seen wolf pups play? They’re ferocious. They growl, snarl, pounce, and bite, but they don’t pierce the skin or draw blood. This is because they’re engaged in play. Play can be ferocious while also being safe and fun.
Topics
In interactive performance, spects are co-creators of the story. When they initiate offers on their own, spects are activated. Some spects are fully activated from the get go. They’re saying and doing things all on their own. However, most spects have some degree of hesitation. Here are ways to activate spects when you need to.
Topics
scolding the spect in a good-natured way to get them to do something
When you need to get spects physically activated, a little good-natured guilt can get them to do something without instructing them.
© 2024 Interactive PlayLab
Subscribe for encyclopedia updates
