Non-Verbal Exercises
Below are Samples from “The Impro Teachers Kit”
When you pre-order this fantastic resource you you will automatically receive a 50% discount on that purchase, the complete section on Improvisation from “Organised Chaos: A Very Practical Guide to Drama Teaching” and these sample exercises from “The Impro Teachers Kit” in a form that you can print out and use as individual cards.
ACROSS YOUR HAND
he whole group is involved in this exercise. Ask each person to look at his/her hand and consider the palm as a map. Consider it as a landscape to cross and decide on the nature of the hills and valleys paths etc of country. Get each person to place themselves at a point on this map and decide where s/he is going. Ask them to make the journey as varied as possible and one in which they encounter many dangers and difficulties.
CHAIN MIME
Five people are chosen to leave the room. The group decides on a mime sequence to do, for example making a complicated sandwich or changing a baby’s nappy.
Player ‘A’ is called in and told what to do.
‘B’ is then called in and watches while ‘A’ mimes changing a baby.
‘C’ is then called in and repeats what he sees ‘ B’ do.
‘D’ repeats the mime ‘C’ does and then ‘E’ repeats ‘D’s’ mime.
‘D’ mimes to the audience. The usual result is that the mime changes with each repetition so that s/he is doing something entirely different. Ask each person what s/he thought they were doing.
COMIC STRIP
Players are divided into groups of 5 or 6. Each group develops an improvisation around a theme of their choice, however, it is shown as a series of mimed tableaux as in a comic strip.
Example: people on an underground train
Scene one: normal ride
Scene two: train has lurched. passengers in disarray
Scene three: back to normal
COMIC STRIP 2
Players are divided into groups of 5 or 6. They are asked to take a well known story and depict it in a series of mimed tableaux as in a comic strip.
COMIC STRIP SEND-UP
Players are divided into groups of 5 or 6. Ask them to take a
well-known comic strip and “send it up” it.
DEMONSTRATION IN GIBBERISH
The group as individuals complete this task with no preparation time. Each player takes on the role of a demonstrator and is given a card on which is written what s/he must demonstrate. The entire scene however must be spoken in gibberish.
Suggested topics:
How to use a: washing machine, vacuum cleaner, computer, paper shredder, photocopier, food mixer, dishwasher; a tennis racket, a fishing rod, extending ladder, video recorder; drill, space suit.
How to: bake a cake, cook an omelette, wash a car, repair a flat tire on a bicycle, erect a tent etc.
DIFFICULTY (SMALL OBJECT)
Each player is asked to present a small scene showing difficulty with a small object of some kind. e.g can opener, cigarette lighter, mouse-trap.
DIFFICULTY (LARGE OBJECT)
Players are divided into groups of 3 or 4 and asked to create a scene involving some difficulty with a large object. Eg. elephant, piano, car etc.
DOUBLE GLAZED WINDOW
Divide players into pairs. Players are asked to imagine there’s a double glazed window between them and their partner. They are trying to communicate with one another but can only do so using facial expressions and body language. Give one of the pair a card with a message the have to convey to their partner.
Required: Cut-up and use the cards with messages in the resource section of this box.
FIGHT!
In pairs, players create a fight scene for a movie.
It may be any kind of fight: fists, swords, staffs etc. There are two very important rules.
1) The fight is to be performed in slow motion.
2) There is to be no physical contact.
Actors should work together on the movements, punches, kicks and falls etc. of the fight to present an interesting and realistic sequence for the audience.
FOREIGN FILM
The players are divided into groups of 4 or 5. They are given a topic or title around which they have to create a scene from a foreign film. The idea is to convey meaning to the audience using body language, facial expressions and gibberish.
GIBBERISH ADS WITH ACCENTS
Players should work in groups of 4 or 5. In this exercise the object is to produce gibberish with an accent. As a simple vehicle to explore this concept have the players create a TV commercial for a product and a particular country.
Some suggestions:
a mobile phone commercial in (Japanese) gibberish
a truck commercial in (German)gibberish
perfume in (French) gibberish
vodka in (Russian) gibberish
a hamburger in (American) gibberish
a bed and breakfast commercial in (English) gibberish
pasta in (Italian) gibberish
For a complete set of games, exercises and resources for teaching improvisation look at “The Impro Teachers Kit”
Harry Tawse | 
July 19, 2009 10:09 am
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