Quick Description
To play flashlight theater, the players improvise without stage lights. They are lit by flashlights held by the audience.
How to Play
Distribute flashlights to the audience. Turn off the stage lights so the stage is dark.
Ask the audience to turn on the flash lights to illuminate the stage.
Have the improvisers improvise a scene. [Probably not a game… it would be overloading.]
The Audience shines where it has interest
Instruct the audienceĀ to direct their flashlights to the character that interestsĀ them.
Tell the audience that the scene will go on as long as the stage is illuminated.
The players improvise a scene and it ends then there is no light on the stage or very little. Hard to argue with the audience about what interests them.
Notes
You will need to acquire quite a few flashlights. Depending on the size of the theater the flashlight functionĀ from smart phones may work.
This game can provide feedback to the players about what interests the audience and what does not.
Origin
This is a Keith Johnstone game which he calls Flashlight Theater.
I first saw this game performed by Sean Hill in Austin, Texas. Sean founded The Hideout Theatre on Congress Street.
Get The Playbook so you have hundreds of games in your pocket when you need them.