Genre reply

• performance game
• 3–4 players
• Usually 3 minute.
• 14+
• difficulty 4

Description: Title and three genres given. The team plays a scene for 20 -30 seconds. This template scene is then replayed three times, each within the new style or genre. The basic sequence of the first scene should be maintained throughout the stylised replays.

Resource: A clear space.

Time-out: Clarify a starting idea. Remind each other not to talk too much and give detailed physical offers and simple verbal offers in the ‘template scene.’ Remind each other not to all be on all the time and watch each other. Field and deploy players.

Example of a title: Washing the dishes- in the style of a fairy tale/science fiction/ news report.
Giving a false identity-in the style of gothic horror/Shakespeare/Master Chef. First day at a new school; in the style of Harry Potter/daytime soap/musical.

Aim: To tell a clear, short simple story and replay it in various genres highlighting the template scene in a new light each time.
Skills required: Ability to tell a story with a clear beginning, middle and end; advancing and extending physical and verbal; ability to play a range of genres; listening and yielding; knowing when to come on and when to stay off; ability to create events; locations;characters; ability to play a function in a scene.

Suggested Preparation: Some discussion about Genres and their differences.( See Improvisation:the Guide page 443–444)

SHARED STORY, SHARED STORY MIXED GENRE, EMOTIONAL REPLAY.

How It works:

This is a fun hilarious game and releases joy and wit in the most unexpected places from the most unexpected players. The essence of its success is to begin simply and not overload any of the scenes particularly the initial ‘template’ scene. The template is played without any emotion or style. While it appears bland it is still rich and detailed with offers. It is the map the replayed scenes will follow. It is this scene that will be repeated almost word for word in the three different styles. It MUST be kept short 20–25 seconds.

The detail of opening a specific door, window, walking outside and breathing in the air, greeting another character all these are examples of detailed offers that will be changed and affected by the new style in each replay. So too the lines that are spoken. They need to be clear and make good simple offers eg.

A greeting, a wave and a few words can be changed to a Vampires arrival, a

“Hail fellow well met!” or a “Good day mate how are ya?” as the changing styles are introduced.

Step One. Four Players play a simple scene eg. Buying bread, putting out the garbage, making breakfast. Begin with a simple scene. Each player plays a simple function in the scene. They can be a human or an inanimate object. They can be the kitchen sink and remain unvoiced. They can be the kitchen door. They can be the neighbour also putting out the garbage. Complete this scene as simply and efficiently as possible. Do not create problems or conflict. Do no over talk. Make physical offers clear and detailed. Find a clear beginning, middle and end. If it becomes too long and problematic play the scene with no words at all. Stop and repeat clearing away all the problems until it is a short 20 -25 second simple scene. This is the template scene and gives many offers to change with each new style replay.

Step Two. Now ask the group how this scene would be replayed of a fairytale? The characters may skip and glide. The door might be magic. The sink could be cruel with a wicked laugh saying, “Who’s the fairest sink in Kitchland?” The neighbour might kiss the protagonist and they fall in love living happily ever after ….and so on. Do it. Play and improvise it. Each player stays off or remains on and quiet until their part is required. If you played the template scene in silence keep the developing dialogue short and simple.

Repeat asking how would we be play as an adventure, gothic horror, news report, soap and so on. Try these and see how each style affects the template scene.

Step Three. Introduce a new title and three styles. Discuss the styles before you start. How do characters move, speak in this style? Who is the villain? Who is the hero/heroine and so on? What famous lines spring to mind from this genre? What is the mood, location, time/era of this style? Now the players play their simple template scene with economic and clear dialogue. They have no emotions and no style. The scene, although bland is full of clear, simple offers. Each line of dialogue spoken gives new information. The scene is always advancing.

REMEMBER

Call the times clearly so players know when they have two minutes to go, are half way, or have less than a minute. Timing all four scenes within the three minutes is the challenge especially when some styles lend themselves to more elaboration than others.

Encourage players to finish each scene with a compete hands /lights down movement (See page 27). This will occur at the end of every scene replay.

Sidecoach; ‘ Stay off until needed’,

Sidecoach; ‘Half way.’

Sidecoach; ‘Find an ending.’


TIP For players who find this game a challenge, play the template scene and all styles without words or to music until the movement and fielding of players is manageable and the styles are understood without the added addition of dialogue. Then repeat all the scenes adding simple dialogue.

For Advanced players who crave more, challenge them with literary styles, film directors, periods of history. Its is really fun to play HISTORY REPLAY. A template scene replayed in different periods of history. Eg Posting a letter /Ancient Egypt, Dark Ages/ 3035.