Description: This is a free association game, with the goal of getting both players to the same association. Players A and B stand and face each other. On the first beat, Player A says "one." On the second beat, Player B says "two." On the third beat, both players together say "three." On the fourth beat, both Player A and Player B say anything at all - a person, a place, an abstract concept, a phrase, etc. Players A and B then one beat to process what was said by their partner, and they repeat - when the fourth beat comes around again, their statement should be informed or influenced by what their partner said last round. The game ends when both Player A and Player B say the same thing on beat four. (The example below has this happening in two rounds; in practice, it will often take many, many more.)
Player A: One
Player B: Two
Players A and B: Three
Player A: France | Player B: monument
Player A: One
Player B: Two
Player A and B: Three
Player A: Eiffel Tower | Player B: Eiffel Tower
Tips: Don't mistake the player starting with "one" as the "leader" of the exercise. Both players' fourth beat statements should be equally influenced by the other.
Let the pace of the beats be as slow as necessary for the players to give their fourth beat statements in time, but not too slow as to encourage overthinking them.
Variants: It does not always have to be Player A starting with "one" - that job can switch back and forth, unless that switching makes it more difficult for the players to focus on the game. Keeping it with Player A makes that simpler.
Player A: One
Player B: Two
Players A and B: Three
Player A: France | Player B: monument
Player A: One
Player B: Two
Player A and B: Three
Player A: Eiffel Tower | Player B: Eiffel Tower
Tips: Don't mistake the player starting with "one" as the "leader" of the exercise. Both players' fourth beat statements should be equally influenced by the other.
Let the pace of the beats be as slow as necessary for the players to give their fourth beat statements in time, but not too slow as to encourage overthinking them.
Variants: It does not always have to be Player A starting with "one" - that job can switch back and forth, unless that switching makes it more difficult for the players to focus on the game. Keeping it with Player A makes that simpler.
Originally found on the Improv Resource Center Wiki.