Drama Menu: Second Helpings: Another 160 Tasty Theatre Games

Circle Appetisers

The classic call to arms (theatrically speaking) and the perfect way to start your session. Once the room is full of eager participants, call out the time-honoured words…

‘Let’s make a circle!’

This circular gathering has marked the start of drama sessions since time immemorial and still, to this day, gathering in this perpetual form never fails to unite the group – and is a perfect way to start the theatrical journey.

This fun twist on the classic name game is a great way of involving all players from the get-go and (of course) it’s particularly useful for learning names!

What better way to start a drama session (or a book of theatre games) than with a good, old-fashioned name game?! These exercises are first-session staples for a reason: they immediately put players at ease, unite the group, and offer a vital opportunity to learn as many names as possible in a quick-fire, fun-filled and inclusive challenge!

First of all, have the group form a circle and explain that the ‘name of this game’ is for players to introduce themselves by entering the circle, in turn, and saying their name whilst performing a dynamic action. But that’s not all! As well as calling out names and striking a pose, they should also prefix their name with a word that starts with the first letter of their name – so, Samantha might use ‘Sassy’, ‘Smooth’ or ‘Super’. The rest of the group must then go into centre of the circle and copy the name and gesture combination as accurately as possible.

It’s always a good idea for the group leader to go first, so, if it were me… I would hurl myself forwards, throw my arms skyward and call out (in my most booming of voices): ‘Giant Glyn!’ Following this larger-than-life performance, the whole group should be encouraged to enter the circle as one, and repeat my booming, energetic performance!

Then it’s over to the rest of the group. Turn to the player on your left (or right, it doesn’t matter which) and ask them to enter the circle and perform their own alliterative name and action combination (which, in turn, will be copied by the rest of the group). This will start a cannon of players entering the circle, one at a time, until the cannon gets all the way back to you and you can bring the exercise to a close. Encourage the players to make their movements, gestures and vocal delivery as unique, dynamic and creative as possible. This will make for a great deal of fun and (fingers crossed!) will make the name-learning that little bit easier.

Once you’ve circumnavigated the circle and all players have participated, it’s a good idea to repeat the exercise – only, this time, at twice the speed! This will bring an additional injection of energy to the game (and provide another vital opportunity to learn those names).

A fun, vocal warm-up that encourages performers to forward-place and project their voices.

Have the group stand in a circle and ask that all players hold up their bananas! They will be a little perplexed by this instruction but once you have proudly held aloft your own imaginary banana they will quickly get the idea, and soon you will have a circle of banana-brandishing players. Explain that, in cannon, they are to throw their bananas as far as they can. When throwing their bananas, they must say the word ‘banan-ah’ with projection and power, holding the final ‘ah’ sound for as long as possible and visualising their imaginary banana soaring far into the distance in a long, high arc.

Then it’s time for the Great Banana Throw-off! Instruct all players to hold their bananas in the air (you too, don’t be shy!) and, with bananas brandished, get the group to take one long, deep breath and to throw their bananas (in unison) as far as possible. So, on three: three, two, one…

‘Banan-aaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!’

There will be a crescendo of sound as imaginary bananas are flung far beyond the circle. The final player to be holding the ‘ah’ of ‘banan-ah’ will be crowned the Great Banana Throw-off Champion!

NB: In the interest of fairness, firmly discourage any mid-banana-throw breathing!

This is lots of fun but also a very effective device for encouraging players to visualise the spoken word soaring beyond their bodies when delivering dialogue. This visualisation will promote a strong, powerful and projected sound, and can often encourage more timid performers to project their voices with more forward placement and freedom than ever before. So, grab your bananas and get flinging!

This concentration exercise encourages players to send their focus out to the group and to work as a strong, cohesive unit.

First of all, have the group stand in a tight circle with shoulders touching (you can join in with this too). Once a tight, standing circle has been formed, instruct everyone to take one big step backwards so that they are now in a much larger circle (without shoulders touching). The challenge is for each player to take one big step forward until the whole group is back in the original standing circle. Easy huh? Well, not quite… Explain that any player can step forward at any time BUT – and here comes the tricky bit – if two players step forward at the same time you will stop the exercise and start over.

This exercise will invariably start off rather chaotically, with several players desperately trying to be the first to make the first bold step forwards. After a few failed attempts, explain that it’s not about being the first to step, it’s about achieving a common goal as a team. Rather than frantically hurling themselves forwards, suggest that players should send their focus out to the whole group and only take a step when they feel that no one else is going to. There is no place for ego here, it doesn’t matter if you’re the first to step or the last, success is gauged by the whole group working as one to complete the task.

NB: To make things slightly easier; only restart the game if two players ground their feet at the same time. So, if two players lift their feet in unison but see that the other is about to step, they are permitted to return their feet from whence they came in order to avoid being penalised.

With heightened group awareness and continued use of peripheral vision, this task is achievable by all ages/abilities. It’s a good idea to hold the concentrated silence upon completion of the task and have a discussion about how that silence felt. Was it silence for the sake of silence or was it ‘focused silence’? What’s the difference? They will note that bringing collective concentration to the task creates an intense atmosphere that could clearly be felt through the silence. This is how electric theatre is created: by having a fully focused company working as one towards a common goal. Players should be encouraged to bring these same qualities of teamwork, focus and group awareness to their future work.

A unique exercise that encourages players to physically and emotionally connect to the spoken word.

First of all, have the players stand in a circle and instruct them to say one number each, in cannon, starting with you and moving to your left. Continue until the count reaches twenty (if there are more than twenty players, restart the count after twenty and keep going until the cannon returns to you). Next, it’s time to repeat the process, only this time, rather than simply saying each number, players should be encouraged to infuse them with the following emotions:

* Numbers 1–5: Happy

* Numbers 6–10: Angry

* Numbers 11–15: Sad

* Numbers 16–20: Horrified

NB: It’s a good idea to hold up H.A.S.H. emotion cards (part of the Resource Pack) so that everyone is clear about the emotion attributed to each number.

You will immediately notice the players connecting more, physically and emotionally, to the spoken word as the contrasting emotions bring colour and energy to the delivery.

If the group are a little tentative at first, have the whole group count from one to twenty in unison using the H.A.S.H. emotions. You will find that players become less inhibited when working as a collective and the physical connection/vocal dynamism will intensify.

With everyone warmed up, it’s time for a final H.A.S.H.-off! Divide the circle in two and have one half huddle together whilst the others sit. The goal of the H.A.S.H.-off is to be the team who bring the most physical and emotional connection to the count. Position yourself in front of the standing group (with H.A.S.H. cards in hand) and, all together… start counting! Once they’ve laughed, cried and wailed their way to twenty, have them sit whilst the second group stand and attempt to trump the physical, vocal and emotional dynamic that group one produced. Once both groups have performed, announce the winner!

Although simple, this exercise is an excellent device for encouraging players to explore the possibilities and release the potential of every single spoken word. By infusing their delivery with emotion, words will be transformed, and the previously monotonously muttered numbers will be full of vigour, energy and life. This approach to delivering dynamic dialogue should be encouraged and explored in future performance work.

A fast-paced group exercise that encourages players to listen and to share energy.

Have the players form a circle and announce that each player, in turn, is going to create an action and sound combination that the whole group must copy. Demonstrate what you mean by this by hitting them with your very best, fist-pumping ‘Hey!’ or jazz-handed ‘Yeah!’ It’s important to point out that players are only permitted to use a single word and sound, so a simple ‘Boing!’ with a jump in the air will suffice (as opposed to reciting a full Shakespearean sonnet whilst performing the Macarena)!

And it’s time to begin! Start the ball rolling by swinging your arm in the air and calling out ‘Yee-hah!’ before encouraging the group to copy your rodeo-inspired combination. The most important thing here is that players share energy with you. This means taking the energy you give and adding their own so that the echo is delivered with even more energy and dynamism than the original.

Now it’s time to send the Energy Echo soaring around the circle. Ask the player on your left to produce an action and sound combination, before encouraging the whole group to take the given energy and repeat the action and sound combination with more gusto! Continue this all the way around the circle, insisting that there are no pauses or hesitations between each action and reaction.

You will often find that the first round will have been a little tentative, so it’s time to go again. This time, encourage the group to give even more energy (in both the delivery and echo), and insist that they focus on their fellow performers in order that their reactions are immediate and silence is eradicated. By sending the focus out to the group in this way, there should be a much clearer sense of action and reaction, and the actions and sounds will rocket around the circle in a mounting wave of energy and excitement.

This simple exercise is a highly effective device for encouraging players to work as one cohesive unit. Once they have completed an unbroken cycle of energy, there will be a tangible buzz in the room, which you should embrace and utilise in the work that follows.

This exercise encourages players to bring consistent physical connection to their work.

Have the players form a large (standing) circle before asking one player to enter the circle, throw both fists to the sky and say ‘C’mon!’ before returning to their place. Now ask another player to enter the circle, wrap their arms tightly around their body and call out ‘Why?’ before returning to their place. Finally, ask a third to enter the circle, point and say ‘Traitor’, before – you’ve guessed it – returning to their place in the circle. After these three vocalised gestures have played out, discuss what happened after each gesture/sound was created. Did they walk back with the residual energy of the gesture coursing through their bodies? More often than not, those watching will say ‘no, they did not’ – they simply delivered the word, reverted back to neutral and plodded back to their place. This instant disconnect, often associated with less experienced performers, is what this exercise seeks to address.

Maintaining physical and emotional connection to gesture brings greater consistency and truth to performance work. A person wouldn’t punch the air in delight having just won the lottery and then immediately revert back to absolute neutrality (both physically and emotionally); the elation and physical connection would remain in the body for some time before and after the gesture is struck. This is what the players must attempt to emulate.

So, let’s go again, encouraging the players to bring the feeling behind the gesture into the circle and, once the gesture has been struck, remain connected to the residual energy and allow it to drive their movement back. The contrast between the second playing and the first will be stark, as the playing area is brought to life from the moment each player steps forward to the moment they return to their place in the circle.

Now move onto a group round, where all players move into the circle and vocalise their strong gestures as one before returning en masse. This final round encourages players to dispense with any inhibitions, and you will find that the room is truly alive with energy after three or four group efforts. And where did this energy come from? From players connecting emotion to gesture and allowing the residual energy to remain in the bodies and affect their physicality. So, from a simple exercise an extremely important lesson is learnt.

A fun, physical and focus-inducing exercise that encourages team-playing and group awareness.

Call the players into a large circle and select one member of the group to step outside the circle, turn their back and close their eyes. Next, choose a Band Leader by pointing at one member of the group, ensuring that everyone in the circle is aware of who it is. Explain that the Band Leader will play a series of imaginary musical instruments and, as each instrument is played, the rest of the group must copy them. With younger players, it might be a good idea to demonstrate a few instruments to make sure they’ve got the idea, so strum away on your imaginary guitar and bang on your make-believe drum whilst encouraging the group to copy your actions (I also like to throw in some instrumental sound effects for added pizzazz!).

Now that you’re all warmed up, ask the Band Leader to start playing his/her first instrument and instruct the group to copy. As you’re tinkling away on your imaginary ivories or screeching out a tune on a make-believe Stradivarius, ask for the player with their back turned to re-join the group and stand in the centre of the circle. Explain that their task is to ascertain who is changing the instrument. They have three guesses to discover the Band Leader... and GO!

To add to the challenge, encourage all players to remain focused and vigilant, so that instruments are changed as quickly and collectively as possible. Use of peripheral vision is vital here – if all eyes are pointed in the direction of the Band Leader, it will give the game away pretty quickly, so subtlety is