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Exercises

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.

Topics
expanding the context to include an apparently contradictory offer

Once in a while, the spect will make an offer that appears to violate the context that has been established. An effective way to handle this situation is to encompass the spect’s offer by expanding the context. Find a way that the spect’s offer can make sense within the story.

Exercises

A character is grilled by an interrogator about the character’s perspectives and details from the character’s life. Questions come hard and fast. Answers are given immediately without allowing time to think.

Topics
to make something make sense within a given context

When improvising, it’s easier to play when things make sense. If something doesn’t fit, it feels like a flaw in the story. This is why inter-actors need the ability to justify. It makes things that might otherwise seem odd make sense.

Exercises

Two players play a scene in which Player B tries to derail the scenario while Player A justifies everything that Player B introduces.

Topics
following spects when they take the story off-script

When playing from an interactive script, hold the scenario lightly. The goal is still to play the spect’s story. When spects take the story in unexpected directions, go with them. This is known as off-roading.

Exercises

Two players play characters who are having an argument about something important. When a person outside the scene calls “switch,” they instantly take on the other character’s point of view in the argument.

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Encyclopedia of Interactive Performance