Acting Exercise - What Comes Next?

I have literally engaged in hundreds of various acting exercises, and while each of these had a specific purpose, some were more fun than others. One of my personal favorite acting exercises engages actors in a game of concentration and creative impulses.

The "What Comes Next?" acting exercise is one of my personal favorites as it allows you the freedom to explore your creativity while simultaneously creating a story.

This acting exercise may be done with as little as two people with as many as twenty. All actors involved in this exercise must maintain a high level of concentration in order allow the game to logically progress.

Instructions

Gather the actors into a circle. Choose the first person that will go first, and instruct this actor to come up with the first noun that comes to mind. Remember, a noun is a: person, place or thing.

Instruct the actors to hold hands, and close their eyes. After the first actor says a word, he squeezes the hand to the actor to his right. After that actor adds a noun, he squeezes the hand of the actor on his right, and so on and so forth. The purpose of this is to allow the actors to concentrate with their eyes closed without having to wonder when it's their turn to add a noun.

Inform the actors to not think ahead, stay in the present with every passing turn, and to use their imagination when each noun is said to help paint a picture.

After the first actor says a noun, the second actor must repeat the first noun and then add another. This goes on, with each actor repeating all the words and adding his own noun. Any actor that cannot repeat the entire sentence is eliminated, but the game continues. The winner of the game is the last actor to successfully complete the entire sentence (or phrase of words).

Game Example

Below is an example of how the nouns are called:

• · Actor #1 - Couch
• · Actor #2 - Couch, chips
• · Actor #3 - Couch, chips, man
• · Actor #4 - Couch chips, man, cigarette
• · Actor #5 - Couch, chips, man, cigarette, lighter
• · Actor # 6 - Couch, chips, man, cigarette, lighter, beer

This goes on until only one actor can remember and add a noun to the growing "sentence."