Main Index                              

Games to develop Acting Technique: From David Ross Acting Academy

Let me sit
 
This exercise can work in a number of ways. Split the group into two halves, character A’s and character B’s. Ask all the A’s to take a chair sit down and spread out in the space.
 
Then ask all the B’s to go and stand in front of an A so everybody is paired up.
 
The idea is that B must convince A to stand up and let them have the seat. B cannot touch A, or the chair they are sat on.
 
A must make it as difficult as possible, however if B is convincing enough in justifying why they should have the seat, A should stand up and let them have it.
 
At the end of the task see which B’s have been successful.

I Love You, I Hate You

A very simple yet surprisingly difficult exercise for all actors. In a circle move around each student.

First rotation the pupils need to say, “I love you” convincingly.

You will tell them whether you believe them or not.

Look for students who don’t give you eye contact and who try to be too theatrical or over exaggerated.

Ensure you allow them to do it themselves first without teaching them. Then do this with, “I hate you” which is easier as it is less embarrassing.

If a pupil fails to convince you, ask them to sit down.

Ghost and the Seeker
 
Have all the actors spread out in the room sitting on chairs.

Choose one actor to leave the room; this person will play The Seeker.

 Once The Seeker has left, choose another actor in the room. They will be The Ghost.

 
Explain to the rest of the group that they must begin to talk amongst themselves in the room, naturally, as if they were having  a real conversation in a class.

The rule however is that nobody may look or talk to  The Ghost  who will be sitting in the space with the group.

The Seeker will then re-enter the space and move about the room to try and locate The Ghost while the actors are performing.

The Ghost however must mask his or her identity by trying to blend in with the rest of the group by looking at other actors and pretending to talk to them.

The Seeker  must spot the inconsistencies in The Ghost to reveal who he or she is.

The Enemy

 
This is a performance-based task that should involve the whole group.

Thematically any situation could be applied. Ask one person to be Character X.

Character X will select one other actor from the group. That actor will be someone that Character X does not like (fictionally of course and not in reality).

 
Ask Character X to leave the room to make his or her decision.

 Now the rest of the group will decide who Character X is and who they are (i.e. Character X will be a teacher and the rest of the group will be a class of pupils

 or Character X could be a doctor and the group are sick patients in a waiting room. )

When  Character X re-enters the room, explain the scene to him or her and begin to act it out.

Character X  must make it clear during the performance as to whom he or she does not like in the group and the rest of the group must try to spot this while acting.

 

Invisible Acting
 
Spread all the actors around the room and ask them to stand in front of a chair and place an object of their choice on that chair. Ensure that the chair is turned around to face the actor.

 
The whole class (at the same time) will begin to have a conversation with their object, imagining that the object is speaking back to them.

 
Actors can decide on the content of their conversation, but they will have to improvise two sketches.

 
 Once where they are having a nice positive conversation with their object, and a second time where they are having an argument with their object.

 
Actors should be completely focused on their object. If they lose focus ask them to sit down.

 
Try it so that the actors do the task individually

David Ross

Main Index