DRAMATISATION GAME CHART

(game of the week)

Shoe Shuffle

Pass any easy-to-handle object around the circle – or place it in the centre – for example a shoe, a bucket or a chair.  Each person uses it in turn - changing it into a different object each time.  It can be anything - apart from what it really is.

As a variation, other members of the group can step into the improvisation so that a short scene develops.

Try doing it to music.

Grandma's Footsteps

Although this is a traditional children's game, in my experience it is also great fun for grown-ups! One person is Grandma - he/she faces a wall. The others in the group start at the other end of the room, then try to creep up to Grandma and tap her on the shoulder. However, at any moment, Grandma can turn around suddenly. If she sees anyone moving, she points at them and that person must return to the start. No-one is allowed to move while she is watching them.

Whoever manages to tap her on the shoulder becomes Grandma (male or female) and the game starts again. It's a good activity for cultivating concentration and patience - not to mention lots of cheating!

Afterwards, discuss with the group which strategies were most successful To make it more challenging, put some hats, wigs, scarves, shoes, handbags or

other items of Grandma costume on the floor. Make it a rule that you have to put on a hat or an item of clothing before you tap Grandma on the shoulder.

For an 'advanced' (tongue in cheek) group dynamics version with adults try playing it without Grandma!

One Two Three

This is a fun introductory warm-up and concentration game. You can begin sitting down or standing up. In pairs, face each other. Start counting from one to three between yourselves, over and over. Once you get the hang of that part you are ready for the next stage. Instead of saying the number "one", you should clap your hands - but you would still say "two" and "three" aloud.

Once everyone has mastered that, the next step is that instead of saying "three", that person should bend their knees. You should still clap your hands for the number "one". This is a bit like trying to pat your head and rub your stomach at the same time - in fact, you could try that afterwards!

A: "One" (Claps hands)B: "Two"A: "Three" (Bends knees)B: "One" (Claps hands)A: "Two"B: "Three" (Bends knees)

Tip: Make sure you allow time to encourage pairs to show everybody else how they are doing after each step. It's fun watching people trying to concentrate, especially if it goes a bit wrong!

If you have extra time, pairs could make up their own movement and/or sound for the number "two".

Count To 20

This is one of the simplest, yet most challenging drama games. Sit or stand in a circle. The idea is for the group to count to twenty, one person saying one number at a time. Anybody can start the count. Then a different person says the next number - but if two or more people happen to speak at the same time, counting must start again from the beginning. It is possible to get to twenty if everybody really concentrates - but try and be relaxed as well.

Try doing it with and without eye contact Other variations you can try include members of the group facing outwards and

closing their eyes (difficult!) or counting back from twenty to one.

Ten Second Objects

This is a very popular drama game and a useful technique which can be developed easily towards improvisation or physical theatre. It's also highly accessible and great fun!

Divide everyone into small groups (4-6). Call out the name of an object and all the groups have to make the shape of that object out of their own bodies, joining together in different ways while you count down slowly from ten to zero. Usually every group will find a different way of forming the object. Examples could be: a car, a fried breakfast, a clock, a washing machine, a fire.

Alphabet Conversation

Have a conversation where each sentence begins with the next letter of the alphabet. This may seem difficult at first, but improves with practice. If you get stuck, you can also use sounds to start a sentence, for example 'Mmmm' or 'tut-tut'. Here is an example:

A: Anyone seen my cat?B: Black one, with funny eyes?A: Can't say I remember.B: Don't tell me you've forgotten what it looks like?A: Every cat looks the same to me.B: Fortunately, I found one yesterdayA: Gee, that's great!

You could also try beginning somewhere in the middle of the alphabet. Then when you reach 'Z', return to 'A' until you arrive back where you started

Try setting the scene or location before you start It's great for car journeys too!

Essence Machines

This activity provides a useful technique for generating physical and aural ideas around a theme. Explain that the group is going to create a "machine" out of themselves. Name a topic and give the participants a few moments to think of a repeating sound and action linked to that theme. For example, if the theme was "shopping" a participant could mime taking money out of a purse to give to a shopkeeper, whilst saying "I'll have two of those, please."

As soon as someone has an idea, ask them to step into the centre of a circle to begin their repeating sound and movement. Ask if somebody else can think of a suitable way to add in their own idea. Gradually, more and more people join in the activity. Some may be linked to existing parts of the "machine", whilst others may be separate. To continue the example above, someone could join the action by becoming the shopkeeper and saying "Shall I wrap them for you?", whilst somebody else could be a cleaner in the shopping mall.

You may find that everybody wants to join in the activity, although be careful not to let it go on for too long or get too unwieldy. Once it is set up, the machine can be frozen, then played back at twice or half the "normal" speed. Themes could include: a football match, a meal in a restaurant, folk tales, Halloween. You could have a machine that actually makes something, like chocolate biscuits, school dinners or weather conditions.

If using this for language teaching, encourage the use of single words or short phrases instead of a sound

Catch My Name A fun way of learning names. The group stands in a circle and begins by throwing a beanbag or bouncing a medium-sized ball, such as a children's football, across the circle from one person to another. Make sure people are ready to throw and ready to catch. Eye contact is important.

Now, introduce yourself as you throw or bounce the ball across the circle - 'Hi, I'm Robert'. Once everybody has had a go at that, continue the game but this time say the name of the person that you are throwing to - 'Jessica to Kelvin'. The group should ensure that everybody receives the ball. One way of doing this is for everybody to hold one hand up until they have caught the ball, or each person folds their arms when they have thrown it.

As a variation, the catcher can call out the name of the thrower Ask everybody to call out the name of the thrower More balls can be added in so that it develops into a Group Juggle. Don't make name games into an actual test - people are less likely to learn names

if they feel pressurised. Keep it light and enjoyable A useful adaptation for language learners - use word categories so that each

person throwing the ball must say a word in the named category.

One Word At A Time

In a circle, the story is started, with each person in turn adding one word. It usually starts with 'Once - upon - a - time'. The idea is to keep your thoughts free flowing, so that you don't try to guess what is coming or force the story in a particular direction. It is not always easy to maintain a logical flow for the story, although it is always amusing. If the group is too large, break into smaller groups.

Another variation is to throw or roll a ball around the circle in any order. Add your word as you pass the ball to the next person. This ensures that people are more attentive; although you should make sure

everyone is included.

Try playing the game in pairs, where both participants act the story out as it is told. In this case, tell the story in the present tense and as 'we'. For example, 'We - are - climbing - a - mountain. - Look - a - giant -spider - coming - towards - us. Quick - run!' You can soon create an adventure story in this way. You can also use the one word at a time technique to create characters made up of two or more people - great fun for interview scenes!

Two Truths, One Lie

Highly recommended for getting to know each other in a new group. Tell your partner three things about yourself - two of which are true and one of which is a lie. For example, you might tell your partner about your hobbies, your work, where you live, your family or where you have travelled. Afterwards, your partner tries to guess which was the lie. You might choose to tell three everyday facts or three more unusual things - but remember - only one of them should be a lie. Make sure each person listens carefully to what their partner says!

Now introduce your partner to the rest of the group and see if they can guess which was the lie.

Alternatively, tell your partner three true things about yourself and then swap over. Now the whole group makes a circle. Each partner introduces their friend to the group - they tell the group two of the true things and make up one lie about their partner. 

Follow Your NoseA movement exercise for the whole group. Move around the room, filling up the space, changing pace, changing direction, being aware of other people but not touching them. Now become aware of your nose. Let your nose lead you around the room. Follow it wherever it goes!

Develop this by focussing on different parts of the body, so that participants begin to discover new ways of moving. Very useful for dance or physical theatre, or simply for discovering movement ideas for characters. Try being led by your stomach, your little toe, your knee, your back and so on.

Random Sound Stories

Work in small groups of 4 - 6. The groups are asked to come up with a selection of random sounds - with each member making one vocalised sound. Next, the group decides on a sequence in which these sounds are made and practices it. Each group performs its sound sequence in turn to the whole class. Now the groups are asked to make up a story in which these sounds occur - in the sequence already decided upon. The story can be narrated or acted.

Sound Pictures

The leader or one member of the group acts as conductor, whilst the rest of the group are the 'orchestra'. Using their voices (and body percussion if appropriate!), the group paints a sound picture of a particular theme, for example the seaside, a city, a jungle. The leader controls the shape of the piece by raising her hand to increase the volume or bringing it to touch the floor for silence.

One way to do this is to allow everybody to choose their own sound - discuss what types of sound might be appropriate before you start.

Or, if it is a very large group, or very lively, you can divide the participants into sections, giving a particular sound for each section, then conduct them accordingly.

The group should bear in mind contrasting and complementary sounds and try to be aware of natural peaks and troughs in the piece - or the conductor can try to create these.

Sound pictures can easily be used as part of an improvisation or performance