Quick Description
Growing and Shrinking Machine is an improv performance game where a solo scene grows into a full group scene, then shrinks back down to one player. Each new player freezes the action and starts a completely new scene based on the frozen stage picture. It’s a great game for practicing physicality, scene transitions, recall, and ensemble awareness.
How to Play
- Start with one player onstage in a solo scene.
- The rest of the players wait in the wings.
- At any point, an offstage player claps and calls, “Freeze!”
- The player onstage freezes in position.
- The player who called freeze enters and starts a brand-new two-person scene inspired by the frozen image.
- After that scene develops, another offstage player claps and calls, “Freeze!”
- Everyone onstage freezes.
- The new player enters and starts a new three-person scene based on that stage picture.
- Continue until all players are onstage.
- In a five-person version, the game builds from:
- 1-person scene
- 2-person scene
- 3-person scene
- 4-person scene
- 5-person scene
- Once the full group scene is established, the game reverses.
- The last player who entered finds a reason to leave in character.
- After exiting, that player claps.
- The clap signals the group to return to the previous scene with one fewer player.
- Keep shrinking the game one player at a time until you return to the original solo scene.
- The first player ends the game by finishing that original solo scene.
Notes
- When adding a person each freeze should lead to a new scene, not a continuation of the old one.
- Strong physical choices make the game much easier and more fun.
- Players should justify the frozen picture quickly instead of searching for the perfect idea.
- The shrinking section is the hardest part, because players need to remember earlier scenes clearly.
- When the group returns to a previous scene it can pick up where it left off or jump to a different point in the story.
- Encourage simple, confident exits when it is time to leave a scene.
- This works especially well as a performance game, but it is also useful in rehearsal.
Variations
- Growing and Shrinking Machine Improv Game is often played with 4 players but can be played with more.
Origin
I learned this activity from Rebecca Stockley (who taught me so much).
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