Theatre games

Theatre games play an essential part in youth theatre, encouraging co operation, aiding concentration, building trust, confidence and developing group skills. They are also good fun!

When using theatre games you should ensure that you work in an appropriate space and that the games you use are suitable for the numbers and ages that you are working with. Some games are best suited for large groups, whilst others work better with smaller numbers.

If you have any games you would like adding to the list please contact us.

Anyone who...

• Once each person in the group has a repeatable rhythm or phrase the leader can conduct a STOP and return to the simple pulse created by rocking from one foot to the other.

• One participant is chosen to come into the centre of the circle. They then must complete the phrase "anyone who..." (eg. "is wearing blue").

• All those people in the circle who are wearing blue then start to play their rhythm or phrase.

• The person in the centre then swaps places with someone else in the circle and the game continues.

Assumptions

Based on a statement such as "can speak a foreign language", individuals choose to go to one side of the room or another without any discussion depending on whether the statement is true for them or not, however they don't know which side is true or false and therefore have to make an assumption about who they choose to stand with as to whether they speak a foreign language. Easier to play than to explain. (To look at the assumptions we make all the time but not in heavy way, and to find out a bit more about

each other).

Black Box (Name Game)

Facilitator holds up an imaginary black box and says... “Black box to Fred (or name of person in the group).” The black box is then thrown to Fred and Fred then says “black box to (another name)” and so on. Whilst the box is still being passed around a pink banana is introduced and does the rounds. Other objects are introduced. Invent objects which have to make a noise when caught.

Bounce Ball or Four Square

A court is marked out on the floor with four squares inside one large square. Approx 2m x 2m. The server stands in square one, and then three additional players in the other squares. Players are allowed one hand contact to keep the ball in the court. You only make contact with the ball when it’s in your square. If you let it fall you’re out and if you make contact when it didn’t bounce in your square you’re out. When you’re out you sit down and a new player joins at position three with the others moving around to fill the gaps. The aim is to become the server. The above can be played as doubles.

Budge

Chairs are arranged randomly around the room. There are enough chairs for all but two members of the group. A chases B. B can go to any chair and say BUDGE. The person in the chair must then give up their chair for B and A continues to chase. If A catches B then B becomes the chaser. Variation. Have to play as a chicken keeping knees together and flapping wings. There is no chaser. Chicken wants to sit in the empty chair and the group must use strategic planning to move places in order to keep the chicken from the chair.

Bunny

Whole circle are given a number one, two, three, four, five, etc. Everyone is a bunny, so if you are number one you are bunny one, number two is bunny two and so on Everyone practices doing bunny ears with their hands. Someone begins and says “bunny seven calling bunny two”. Bunny two then has to make bunny ears and bunny one and three must extend the ears at either side. If anyone makes a mistake they sit down. The last two bunnies to be left in, get married!

Chair Bomb

This game requires chairs and a stopwatch.

• Split the group into two halves, label team A and team B.

• Before beginning the game the facilitator needs to create a ‘chair bomb’. This is done using the same number of chairs as there are players in each team (ie half the number of total participants) The chairs are piled un top of each other in the style of a ‘pic up sticks’ game . So with the legs and seats crossing over but being careful not to make the pile so unstable that it becomes dangerous.

• Explain to the group that the pile of chairs is actually a sound sensitive bomb.

• The two teams are each bomb disposal units.

• The aim is to dismantle the bomb by taking  the chairs out one at a time as quietly as possible, in a shorter time than their opposing team.

• Only one person can get up to remove a chair at a time and the next person cannot get up until the last person has brought the chair back to where they were originally sitting and sat on it.

• Time penalties are added on for noise that would cause the bomb to react such as foot or chair scraping, or a chair being place down too heavily. This includes talking although the team can use hand signals to help each other.

• It is advisable to point out to the group that it is ok for smaller team members to sit back down even without getting a chair if they decide that they would rather wait for a more accessible chair. Point out the safety considerations.

• Each person can only get one chair and the bomb is not disposed until everyone is sat back in the circle on the chair ( i.e. everyone has a turn)

• Once the first team has succeed the bomb can be re-built and the second team attempt to beat their time.

• When a group is watching, any noise they make while the other team is working is added onto THEIR time as a penalty, not the team in play.

Circle Orchestra

• The group stand in a circle and begin a pulse by rocking steadily from one foot to the other.

• Each member of the group creates a repeatable rhythm or phrase and one by one adds it to the growing sound.

• The leader can conduct this exercise once all participants are involved with simple loud and soft signals and a clear stop signal.

Commonalities

In pairs find something you have in common in with your partner in a very limited time and then move on to find another partner. (To find things we have in common with strangers in a fun way so they aren't so strange any more!)

Contracts

Everyone chooses someone else in the circle they would like to sit next to but doesn’t tell anyone. It can’t be the people already next to you. When the game begins you have 20 seconds to sit next to that person and you do so by making a contract with the person on either side of your chosen person. So you ask one of those people ‘can I swap places with you please?’ to which that person replies yes or no. They have to say yes unless they are already sitting next to their chosen person. You must ask the question and wait for the response before you move. You can then run the game without the use of words. The players must find alternative ways of making their ‘contract’.

Countdown HA!

• Create a matrix of people (7 rows of 10 people all standing behind each other for example).

• Each row takes it in turns to count to 10 whilst stamping and clapping.

• At the end of the count; the row jumps round to face the group behind and shouts HA!

• As this count reaches the last row, the last row start the exercise again but this time the count is to 9.

• The exercise continues until the count disappears leaving only a ripple of HAs.

• At the end of the last HA! The group all jump up in the air and give a cheer. Hooray!

Count to 10 Variation

A physical variation on the teamwork count to 10 game. If two people say a number at the same time they must run around the circle one before rejoining the game (teamwork, fun, physical warm up).

Defend the Chair

This game requires chairs.

This game works as a variation of musical chairs.

• Each participant takes a chair and puts it in a space in the room. The chairs need to be fairly equally scattered across the space.

• One volunteer (let’s call him ‘John’) leaves their chair. Move the empty chair to the far side of the room and have the participant stand in the furthest corner from his/her chair

• Explain to the group that John has one main aim in life – to sit on a chair.

• The rest of the group have the sole aim of defending all the chairs in play.

• The only way the group can stop John from sitting on a chair is to sit on it first. They cannot move the chairs, and they cannot physically hold back John in any way. Nor can they cover an empty chair with their hands or feet.

• John must move between the chairs – but there is a catch – John must move with his knees together at all times. ( one way of ensuring this is to provide a piece paper to be held between their legs )

• John is given a head start and can start moving towards the empty chair when the facilitator says ‘ go. The rest of the group must stay sat down until the facilitator says ‘move’. They can then move but they don’t have to .The game then continues until John manages to sit on any empty chair. Then a new volunteer can have a go.

During the first few tries the guinea pig usually finds a seat quite quickly as the whole group often gets up and runs around quite chaotically. Gradually encourage the group to work as a team – so that potentially only one or two people need to be off their seat at a time. Try to discourage any one person from becoming a leader, directing the rest of his/ her team mates. One option is to introduce the rule that the whole game must be played in silence.

Diddley

Diddley da, diddley da, diddley diddley diddley. In a circle. Each person says a bit: “Diddley”, “Da”, “Diddley”, “Da”, “Diddley”, “Diddley”, “Diddley”, “Da”. It is then repeated at speed. Once the group is used to it you can change direction whenever you wish. If you hesitate or say the wrong thing, you’re out.

Dog and Bone

This game requires a prop to be the ‘ bone’. It also needs to be played in a space that is large enough to accommodate it and doesn’t contain ‘hazards’ that players may be likely to run into or fall over .

• The group is split into two teams.

• Each team sits in a line facing the other, with a space between them.

• The members of the team are numbered 1- however many there are in each team as follows:

        1      2       3      4      5      6      7      8      9      10

        10     9      8      7      6      5      4      3      2       1

• Place your prop, or bone, in the centre between the two lines.

• When the facilitator calls out a number the two people with that number compete with each other to win a point for their team.

• In aim in to be the first to pick up the bone and take it back to your team. This scores a point.

• However, if once a player has picked up the bone, their opponent ‘tags’ them before they return to where they were sitting the other team wins the point.

• The bone is returned to the centre and the game begins again.

• The game ends when each pair has had a turn to win their point, The team with the most points wins.

Foot Wrestling

Same as arm wrestling but using feet.

Fuzzy Duck

Pass “fuzzy duck” around the circle. To change direction say ducky fuzz. To change direction again say “does he?”

Grandmother’s Footsteps

This is a variation on the classic children’s parts game – Grandmother’s footsteps or ‘ what ‘s the time Mister Wolf? There is no equipment required.

• A volunteer becomes ‘grandmother’ and stands at one end of the room, facing away from the other players who stand at the opposite end.

• The players move towards Grandmother. Every time Grandmother turns around  they freeze  and Grandmother tries to catch out people who s/he sees moves who are sent back to the beginning

• The winner is the first person to tap Grandmother on the shoulder.

Variation

• As well as having to reach grandmother – introduce other rules. So that between the start point and before reaching grandmother all participants – touch the floor, or give someone a hug , or stand on one leg for 5 seconds, touch someone’s belly button etc. These rules can be as silly as the group allows for and can change with each round. The game usually works with up to 3 or 4 rule being inserted into each round.

•  When playing this game with a larger group , unless you have a particularly big space it is useful to only have up to 15 people playing at a time . Usually though if other participants sit in front of grandmother, facing the ‘oncoming traffic’ of players then the exercise is interesting to watch. It also demonstrates the possible use of this exercise when creating tableaux or movement sequences.

Head/Catch

One person in the centre of a circle throws the ball to someone and says either ‘head’ or ‘catch’. Whichever instruction you’re given you do the opposite. One person is ‘on’ and throws the ball at the others aiming for below the waist. If you get hit with the ball then you are also ‘on’ and work together to hit more people. The aim is to be working with others as a team to be as effective as possible with the use of the ball.

I Accuse

This game requires chairs.

• Players sit in a circle on chairs

• The facilitator goes around the circle and numbers everyone 1-[total in group]. Say, for example 25.

• As the lowest number, the person sat in chair number 25 is sat in the ‘idiot’s chair’. The aim is to be number 1

• The idiot always starts

• The player sat in chair 25 stands up and say ‘ I accuse number…(for example 10)

• The player sat in chair number 10 then stands and says ‘I accuse number ….and so on

• If a person hesitates, mumbles, trips over their words or calls a number not in play ( ie higher than 25) then they loose the round and move to the idiot’s chair. A person also looses if he/she twitches or goes to move out of turn. You can make the game harder by becoming more and more strict.

• Say for example number 7 lost a round and became the idiot, when the player sat in chair number 7 gets up and goes to sit in the idiot’s chair, everyone sat in a chair numbered higher than 7 moves along one seat and takes on a new number.- moving further towards the goal chair – number 1.

Jungle/Fairytale

This game needs 6 chairs – although it can be done with players standing.

• Place six chairs at the front of the group. Ask for six volunteers, and describe the gesture and expression of the following characters: King (Lion)  (RAA!),  Monkey, Snake, Elephant, Toucan/parrot, Vulture,  (other animals can be added such as tree frog or mouse). It is advisable not to add too many characters though as it becomes too confused. The game also works with people  rather than animals – eg King, Queen. Princess, Hero, wise man, Villain ( fairy tale characters)…etc

• Use gestures and sounds that you are clear and suitable for how willing your group is to join in

• The players must try to progress up the line to become the King, who starts the game by making his own sound and gesture, then that of another character.

• Then they must do the same and so on. (repeat their gesture followed by that of someone else)

• When anyone makes a mistake, they must sit down, and the players move along into their new role.

• The winner is whoever is the King at an allotted time, eg in exactly 3 minutes.

Keepie-Uppy

Whole group spread out and fill the space. The ball is passed around, being kept in the air without dropping it. Treat it well, with care, look after it. Ball then becomes a bomb. You don’t want to hold it just pass it on quickly and it mustn’t touch the floor or it will explode. The group are collectively responsible for this. Variation of this is to use a balloon for the very young.

King Ball/Bench Ball

Two chairs at either end of the room. Two teams. Each team selects a king. The kings stand on the chairs. The two teams fill the gaps in between. Netball rules apply (feet still when in possession of ball, no bouncing). The ball is passed between the teams and a goal is scored by throwing to your own king. To make it more difficult you can add a rule that there must be three passes between team members before you can score. This also helps if you’re in a room with a low ceiling. All stand in a circle connected by feet, legs apart. Left arm behind your back. Right hand is your bat. Roll ball on floor around and across the circle. You must not let it pass between your legs. If it does you’re out.

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

In a circle the first four people are named MML and J and are then numbered one, two, three, four, etc until everyone has a number. Everyone sits crossed legged on the floor and establishes a rhythm... Slap, slap, click, click. Matthew begins Mathew to eight’ in time with the rhythm. Number eight then says ‘eight to...’ and so on. If you’re out you go to the highest number position and everyone moves around.

Name Game

Still in the circle. Make eye contact with the person on your left and say your name. This goes all the way around the circle and the speed gradually increased. Then do the same only this time you say the name of the person standing on your left. Then three people to your left. Then three people to your right.

Name, Name, Name

In a circle. Person in the centre says the name of someone else three times before that person says it once. If person doesn’t say their own name before the third time they swap places.

Name/Object Memory Game

First person introduces themselves and produces an object from their pocket. “Hello my name is Susan and this is my special coin. It is special because...” (tell the story). After the story put object in the centre. Next person says to the group “Hello this is Susan and Susan has a special coin...” ( tells as much as they can remember about Susan’s story), then introduces themselves and an object with a story. This goes all of the way around the circle (and probably takes up all of your session!) continuing a bit like “I went to the market and bought an apple”. When it gets back to the original person they retell everyone’s story and then retrieve their object from the centre.

Nod Wink Change

A non-verbal crossing the circle game. First person must get permission to cross the circle using eye contact with one other person who in turn nods to give permission, the nodder must then get permission from someone else to make their place available for the first person. (Teamwork, focus, concentration, communication etc.)

One, Two, Three

In pairs. Eye contact. The first person begins by saying one, the second says two the first says three, the second says one the first two and so on. Establish this first. Then move on to replace number two with a clap. Eventually each number is replaced with a gesture, movement or funny noise.

Pass the Clap

Everyone stands in a circle. A clap is passed around at speed. Each person makes eye contact with the next as the clap is passed. The speed is gradually increased. Another clap is then introduced and sent in the opposite direction.

Pulse

• Split the pairs in to A and B

• Create a tunnel of people (A's on the left and B's on the right for example facing in toward each other.) All the As hold hands and all the Bs hold hands.

• At one end of the tunnel place an object (a bottle of water for example).

• The leader stands at the other end of the tunnel with a coin.

• The leader tosses the coin and only the top pair A&B are allowed to see it.

• If the coin lands showing heads then each side of the tunnel races to pass a gentle squeeze down the line. When the squeeze gets to the end of the line the last person picks up the bottle and their team wins a point.

• If the coin lands showing TAILS then the groups must stay still and keep their nerve.

Round the Clock

• In pairs now the participants must create a sound and movement connected to a daily routine (a low siren sound with a yawning action to signify waking up and going to bed.)

• They must then decide at what times (hours only) of the day that occurs.

• The leader then calls out each hour as it passes from 7am to 11 pm.

• As the correct time is called out tile group come to life with their sound and movement. These are repeated until the time changes.

Splat

There is no equipment required for this group. With a new group you may need a register.

The group stands in a circle, in neutral. One person, who nominates themselves to be the name caller, stands outside the circle. All participants use their thumbs and forefingers to create a ‘gun’ (If needed, this can be a water or ‘gunk’ gun to make it more suitable for younger groups). The caller calls out the name of somebody in the circle.

• If your name is called out you duck down

• If the name of the person next to you is called out you turn and shoot across them (because they will have ducked) to the person on their other side and say ‘splat’.

• The quickest to the draw wins.

• If you don’t duck you are out

• If you don’t shoot quickly enough you are out

• He loudest splat ( when two people are equally fast) always wins

• If two splats are equally quick and equally loud then this is called a matrix moment and nobody looses.

• If you go to shoot out of turn you are out

• You can make the rules stricter by insisting that the movements are clear and deliberate, once the group has learned the rules.

• As well as a ‘caller’ the facilitator needs to act as a judge throughout.

• When there are just two people left, the remaining players stand back to back and each take 3 paces away from each other.

• The caller then consecutively calls out the names of people in the room.

• When the caller calls out the name of someone NOT in the room they turn and shoot. This name can either be fictional e.g. ‘Antonin’ or 'Maud’ or can be the name of a group member who is absent during that session.

Stop/Go/Jump/Clap

This game doesn’t require any equipment but does need to be played in a space big enough to allow participants to move around.

Individuals find a space and follow instructions such as stop/go, forwards backward etc. The instructions are then reversed so that you have to do the opposite of the instruction (Focus, concentration, physical warm up, fun).

• Participants move around the space.

• When the facilitator calls out ‘ stop’ they stop and when the facilitator calls out ‘go’ they move around the space.

• Once this is established, then the following is added; when the facilitator calls out ‘jump’ – participants jump once on the spot and then continue moving.  When the facilitator calls out ‘clap’, everyone claps once.

• After a while the rule start to become reversed. So, when the facilitator calls out ‘go’ everybody stops and when s/he calls out ‘stop’ everyone moves around the space.

• Initially, ‘ jump’ and ‘clap’ don’t need to be reversed , but once the group have got the hang of it they can be, so that ‘ jump’ means clap and ‘clap’ means jump.

Switch/Rhythm & Pulse Exercise

• The leader claps a rhythm but asks the group not to join in.

• When the leader says the word 'SWITCH' the group join in with the rhythm the leader is playing.

• The leader can change his/her rhythm at any time but the group must continue the previous rhythm until the leader says the word 'SWITCH'.

• The leader can create a range of different sounds using the body and immediate environment (chair, the floor, etc)

Timed Hand Clap

Similar to Timed names but noting time it takes to clap hands around circle. The group suggest ways to improve their first effort with a bit of teamwork and so cut down the time on a second round (Teamwork, creativity, idea creating).

Timed Names Team A and Team B

In a circle each person in order from the left of the facilitator clockwise, says his/her name and this is timed. The group suggest ways to improve their first effort with a bit of teamwork and cut down the time. This is Team A. The group repeat exercise going from the right of the facilitator anti-clockwise, this is team B. (Teamwork, fun, challenges ideas of competition).

Tupple

Two people standing opposite each other. They offer mutual respect. They take up a squatting position. No heels are allowed to make contact with the floor. The palms of the hands are the only thing to make contact with each other. The aim is to keep balance and attempt to make your partner TOPPLE. The first to topple is out and a new challenger is then found. The group leader or member of the group can become the commentator. Tupple, should be played on a 7ft x 7ft marked out square.

Two Circles Deep

An inner circle and an outer circle, standing in pairs one behind the other both facing into the centre of the circle. One person stands in the middle and shouts out the name of someone in the inner circle. If that person is standing in front of you, you must tap them on the shoulder to prevent them from moving. If you don’t tap in time then they go into the centre and swap with that person.

Variation

One circle of chairs. Two are empty the rest are occupied. Someone stands behind each chair. Object is to always have at least one person sitting on the chair in front of you. People standing wink at those sitting to get them to move into their chair. Standing people can prevent them from moving by tapping them on the shoulder. You can limit how many people are on one chair at one time, but it can also be good fun to have lots of people sitting on each other’s knees!

Walking Around the Space

This is a good starting point – a way of focusing a group and getting them up on their feet to start moving.

• Without talking, walk around the space. Notice as much as possible about the room. Look at people as you pass them and smile. Change direction. See if you can keep moving without bumping into anyone.

Ways of developing this include:

• Walking sideways

• Walking backwards

• Walking directly – in straight lines and only changing direction at a right angle

• Walking in as meandering way as possible- indirect, no straight lines

• 30 seconds to touch an object of a certain colour in the space

• Changing direction only and every time you come up to a wall or another person

Getting people to move around the space like this leads easily into games like stop/go/jump/clap, or the Bomb/shield game among many other games or exercises.