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People are like icebergs. There’s often more that lies beneath the surface. When a scene feels flat, go beneath the surface and read more into it. Assume that something significant underlies what the other character has said or done, and respond to that. Even if there wasn’t an intended subtext, respond as though there were.
Exercises
Two players play a scene while two observers say the subtext of what the characters are really thinking.
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When spects play as characters, they’re freed to say and do anything. They no longer need to worry what others might think because they’re playing as characters, not themselves. Spects can play in whatever way they like, and when it’s over, chalk it all up to the character.
Exercises
Two lines of players face each other, each person’s partner being the person directly opposite. One partner endows the other from a list of spect endowments, then the other endows the first from their own list. Then each moves to their respective right and repeats the process with a new endowment.
Exercises
Players each take a playing card without looking at it and put it on their forehead so others can see it. Players then assume characters and mingle with one another as they would at a reunion. Everyone tries to determine their positional status by how others engage with them. After mingling for a while, without looking at their cards, players line up from low (Ace) to high (King). Then players look at their cards to see how well status was communicated.
Topics
endowing an element of character that the spect doesn’t like
If you endow an aspect of character that a spect doesn’t like, that’s putting it on the spect. At the beginning of a story, it’s fine to endow spects with names, occupations, and relationships. These elements establish the cloak of fiction. Beyond that, leave character up to them. Allow spects to shape their characters through thoughts, feelings, and actions. When you don’t put it on the spect, they’re free to define their own characters, which is what makes each interactive story unique.
Exercises
Player A secretly selects one of the following elements to endow Player B with:
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