Improv game
for teams
Short exercises in which you build on what the other person says. No theatre, no lines to learn, and nobody has to stand alone in front of the group.
What does a team learn from this?
Improvisation is about building on someone else's suggestion instead of objecting to it. That's exactly what goes wrong in meetings, and in a room with an exercise to work on it becomes visible within ten minutes. Who blocks, who goes along, and who waits for someone else to start.
No experience is needed and nothing has to be learned by heart. The host starts with exercises in which the whole group is busy at once and moves on to smaller groups, so the barrier only rises as far as the group can handle.
- Exercises in pairs and small groups
- Builds up from easy to more demanding
- No experience and no equipment needed
- Sixty to ninety minutes
Four steps, from safe to sharp
Yes, and
The basic agreement: you build on what the other person says instead of rejecting it. It sounds simple, and it is immediately obvious who finds that difficult.
All at once
Exercises in which the whole group is busy at the same time. Nobody is watching, so there is nothing to be embarrassed about.
In pairs
Short scenes in pairs, where you have to respond to something you didn't see coming. This is where most of the laughter comes from.
With an assignment underneath
The same format, but with a situation from work built in. That shows how the group deals with a suggestion nobody expected.
When is this not the right choice?
Improvisation is the wrong choice if there is tension in the team that hasn't been voiced yet. The format asks people to expose themselves a little, and in a group where that feels unsafe it backfires. In that case a game format with a clear task is a better way in.
It also fits less well as the last item of a long day or after drinks. Improvising takes concentration, and by then people have run out of it. That's why we prefer to schedule it in the morning or at the start of an afternoon.
A compact block starts at €195.
Frequently asked questions
Does everyone have to stand alone in front of the group?
Nobody has to stand alone in front of the group. The exercises are done in pairs or small groups, and in the first half the whole room takes part at once. Anyone who wants to show something later may, but the programme also works if nobody does.
Is this suitable for people who find it daunting?
The build-up matters most for that group, and the programme is built around it. We begin with exercises in which you cannot go wrong because everyone is busy at the same time. Only when that is running do the groups get smaller. Taking part at your own level is always fine.
How long does an improv game take?
An improvisation block takes sixty to ninety minutes. Longer rarely works, because it demands concentrated participation and sharpness drops afterwards. That makes it ideal as part of a half day rather than a programme for a whole day.
What space is needed?
An improv game needs an empty floor where the group can stand and move, with no tables in the way. A meeting room where the tables can be moved aside, a canteen or an empty room is enough. Hardly any equipment is needed, which is the strength of the format.
Tell us about your plan
Interested in the improv game? Fill in the short form and we'll send a price estimate within 1 working day.
A block in which team members complement each other
Tell us the group size, the time of day and what is going on in the team.