Description

Have 2 players perform a scene, perhaps give them a title or a location, but also give them a subtext for their character. Subtexts might be:

• you want to seduce the other
• you are a nerd
• you like to make people laugh
• you want to impress others
• you are a nasty person
• you try to be ordinary
• you are an optimist/pessimist
• you will never find a girlfriend/boyfriend

Notes

If you are using this in a workshop it might be a good idea to ask the players how one would behave given a certain subtext. Stress that you are looking for Truthfulness .

This is an excellent technique to find a character. You can actually use this for performance - just give yourself a subtext when you jump onto the stage and see what happens.

See also Status .

Origin

Described in Impro for Storytellers : the book contains an appendix on how to play for different subtexts.