Improvisation Theatre — “Yes, and…”

1. Introduction (10 mins):

Introduce the golden rules of improvisation: accept what your partner offers (“Yes”) and then build on it (“and”). Instead of blocking ideas or saying no, you add something new, keeping the scene moving and collaborative. Emphasise the importance of making your partner look good by offering support and cooperation. Emphasise that in improv, there are no mistakes, only opportunities, and you can utilise everything creatively. Stress the need to commit fully, as half-hearted participation limits the energy and fun of the activity. Reinforce the idea that the group is learning together, supporting one another, and that experiencing failure is a valuable part of the process.

You can also summarise these as a simple list for participants:

• Say “Yes, and…”
• Support your partner and make them look good
• There are no mistakes, only opportunities
• Be present and fully committed
• Listen and react, don’t plan ahead
• Enjoy the process and take risks

2. Warm-up Games (20 minutes):

For the warm-up, the facilitator can select appropriate exercises from the the additional chapter at the end of the Toolbox, choosing activities that support focus, connection, and group energy, depending on the group’s needs.

3. Main Activities (choose based on group level):

Beginner Exercises (20–30 minutes):

Use “One-Word Story”: Participants stand or sit in a circle. Together, they create a story by saying one word at a time, going around the circle. Each person adds only one word when it’s their turn. The goal is to build a coherent story while practising active listening, staying present, and accepting what others offer (“Yes, and…”). Encourage participants not to overthink and to keep the flow going.

Play “Freeze Tag”: Two participants start improvising a short scene. At any moment, someone from the audience can say “Freeze!”, and the two actors must stop exactly in their positions. The new person taps one of the actors, takes their place, keeps the same physical position, and starts a completely new scene inspired by that pose. This exercise helps participants think creatively and react quickly.

Try “Conducted Story”: The facilitator acts like a conductor, pointing to different participants who then continue the story. Participants can only speak when the facilitator points at them and must stop when the facilitator moves on. This encourages focus, quick thinking, and collaboration, as the story is built together in an unpredictable way.

End with “Emotional Replay”: Two or more participants improvise a simple scene. After a short time, the facilitator stops them and asks them to replay the same scene, but with a different emotion (e.g. joy, anger, fear, excitement). The situation stays the same, but the emotional tone changes. This helps participants explore how emotions influence communication and behaviour.

Intermediate Exercises (20–30 minutes):

Introduce Party Quirks, where one participant hosts a party and guests arrive with secret characters or behaviours that the host must guess. Play Slide Show, creating a story based on imaginary vacation photos, with one narrator and others posing as images. Use an Expert Panel, where participants act as experts answering audience questions on made-up topics. Try Character Swap, allowing two characters in a scene to gradually exchange personalities. Include props, encouraging participants to transform a random object into as many different items as possible.

Advanced Exercises (20–30 minutes):

Facilitate Long Form Improv, developing an extended improvised story of 10–15 minutes from a single suggestion. Introduce Harold, a structured long-form exercise using recurring themes and callbacks. Use Monologue-Scene, where one participant shares a true personal story and others improvise scenes inspired by it. Explore Status Games, focusing on power dynamics through high-status and low-status characters.

4. Cool Down and Reflection (10 minutes):

End the session with a gentle cool-down activity, followed by a group reflection. Encourage participants to share how they feel, what they have learnt, and what they find challenging or enjoyable.