Improv Notebook

Genre Circle

This game is good for a group getting ready to perform a Long Form* and good for a group work-shopping Long-form* Improv.

Long Form Warm Up Exercise

1. Players stand in a circle.
2. Identify the kind of Long form you are going to explore.  (for example, film noir)
3. Players toss an imaginary ball around the circle (like sound ball).
   

   These Hazelnets represent improvisers standing in a circle.

4. When they throw the ball they say a ‘line of dialogue’ that would be found in that genre.  (for example, “I need help and you’re the only one I can turn to”)
5. The player receiving the line, repeats it and then ‘tosses’ another line to a player in the circle.

Note:  there is no evaluation of the contributions.  Everything is accepted (and repeated).

This can be done with various elements within a genre:

• Character name
• Character types
• Locations
• Types of relationships
• etc.

*Long Form Improvisation is also called “Long-form” and “Longform”   I’ve seen people argue the spelling with surprising passion.

[This is reprinted from www.ImprovPlaybook.com with permission, all rights reserved.]

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About: William: William Hall is a founder of BATS Improv in San Francisco and has been bringing Improvisation to theater companies and business around the world since 1986. He is the author of The Playbook: Improv Games for Performers a fun guide to improv games and formats. [http://www.ImprovPlaybook.com] He trains and coaches executives in leadership communication. He improvises and performs regularly.