The Encyclopedia of Interactive Performance

When training or rehearsing, you sometimes need a way to fast-forward through the story. This can be accomplished with a talk-through, where players do basic blocking while summarizing what their characters say and do. The idea is to slide back and forth between description and dialogue, while introducing some specific details. Here’s an example.

Kyla needs to rehearse the second half of a scenario, but she needs the details that the spect generates in the first half. She and Jerome (a fellow inter-actor playing the spect role) start with a talk-through of the first half of the scene.

Kyla stands behind a door and knocks. Jerome says, “I don’t know what to do, so I do nothing.” Kyla knocks again. Jerome walks to the door and opens it, and says, “I wait for you to say something because I'm not sure what to do.” Kyla says, “I hold the silence.” Jerome says, “I invite you in.”

Kyla enters, looks around and says, “Thanks for inviting me over.” Jerome says, “You’re welcome.” Kyla crosses downstage and says, “I admire the view you have of the city.” Jerome says, “It’s not as beautiful as Paris.” Kyla says, “We talk about what we each love about Paris. Jerome says, “I say something funny about the Eiffel Tower.” Kyla laughs and puts her hand on Jerome’s shoulder. She says, “I let a beat of silence pass, then I say that I’m glad you finally decided to invite me over.” Jerome says, “I’m glad too.”

Kyla says, “We talk about what it’s like to be alone.” Jerome says, “I mention that I’m thinking of getting a dog.” Kyla says, “Maybe you need more than a dog.” Jerome gives a little smile. They continue to look at the city, with Kyla’s hand still resting on Jerome’s shoulder. Then the door swings open and another character enters.

Having reached the point that needs to be rehearsed, Kyla and Jerome shift out of the talk-through mode. They play out the rest of the scene as a regular performance in which Jerome’s wife has unexpectedly arrived home.

A talk-through is useful when you need to practice things that show up in the middle and end of a story. Fast-forwarding through the initial portion quickly establishes the foundational story details, which allows you more time to focus on the elements that appear later.

A talk-through is also an efficient way to explore the various ways that a scenario might play out.

In brush-up rehearsals during the run of a show, it’s a speedy way to review all the material.

Interactive performance is all about working from moment to moment, but when you need to skim through a scenario without getting bogged down in the details, a talk-through will serve you well.