Description: Two players play out a scene in one minute. The moderator suggests that maybe the scene could be improved by cutting the time in half - so the players repeat the exact same scene in only 30 seconds. They then perform it again in 15 seconds, then 8, then 4, then 2, and finally 1 second.
Tips: This game is almost completely about physicality. If the players can play a very physical scene, once the audience picks up on the gimmick of the game (cutting the scene in half and therefore having to speed everything up), they will get even greater enjoyment out of forecasting how harried the physicality is going to become.
- Don't be too wordy. It just gets in the way of the game.
- The prompt for the scene can be, "There is a box on the side of the road. What do they find in the box?" If it's something physical or something that will force physicality (i.e., a dragon, a tornado, an out-of-control locomotive), it will allow them to be physical more easily.
Variants: The scene could be played with more players; nothing sacred about two. However, more players might make it harder to incorporate everybody. If you play more players, perhaps start with two-minute scene.
Tips: This game is almost completely about physicality. If the players can play a very physical scene, once the audience picks up on the gimmick of the game (cutting the scene in half and therefore having to speed everything up), they will get even greater enjoyment out of forecasting how harried the physicality is going to become.
- Don't be too wordy. It just gets in the way of the game.
- The prompt for the scene can be, "There is a box on the side of the road. What do they find in the box?" If it's something physical or something that will force physicality (i.e., a dragon, a tornado, an out-of-control locomotive), it will allow them to be physical more easily.
Variants: The scene could be played with more players; nothing sacred about two. However, more players might make it harder to incorporate everybody. If you play more players, perhaps start with two-minute scene.
This game is called Half-Life. A and B are going to do a short scene for us, only a minute long. {SCENE STARTER; SEE TIPS ABOVE}.
[SCENE PLAYS FOR ONE MINUTE - CALL TIME WHEN 60 SECONDS ARE UP]
That was pretty good, but you know what? I think it might've been better if it wasn't as long, don't you agree? Let's have them do that scene again, but this time do it in 30 seconds.
[AFTER 30 SECONDS] Better, better...but let's see if we can't improve it. 15 seconds...
[CONTINUE PATTERN]