Required materials: None Number of players: Three at a time
- Baker
- Doctor
- Taster
Three performers take the stage. Each is assigned a character to play. The instructor briefly goes over the flowing dialogue with them. (I’ve never had to hand out “scripts” in order to play this game. The dialogue is simple and easy to remember. It’s not necessary that they get the lines exactly right, it’s more important that each performer knows what he or she is doing.) All of the “props” are pantomimed.
To begin with, the Baker is on stage pantomiming that she is cooking.
Taster (to the Baker) What’re you doing?
Baker (to the taster) Bakin’ Biscuits
Taster I love biscuits. Can I try some?
Baker Sure. (gives the taster a biscuit)
Taster (eating the biscuit) Mmmmm. This is the best biscuit I’ve ever tasted.
Then the taster falls down and plays dead.
Baker (calling the doctor on the phone) Doctor, doctor, come quick my friend is dead.
Doctor (arriving in a hurry, takes the taster’s pulse) Yup, she’s dead.
Ask the three performers to perform the scene “straight” for the first time so that they are confident in the dialogue. When they are through, ask the rest of the class to suggest a performance or movie style. Using one of the suggested performance styles, ask the three performers to present the scene once more. Encourage them to cater their performance to the suggested style. They should have lots of fun with this and have a lot of laughs! They may or may not stick to the dialogue depending upon how far they are willing to go to illustrate the suggested style.
Sample performance or movie styles
- Horror movie
- Broadway musical
- Infomercial
- Game show
- Silent movie (just to name a few)