Year 7 Drama · Making Drama — Create and Perform · 8m read

Improvisation

Improvisation is making it up on the spot — and it's how many scripts begin. The secret is listening and saying "yes, and…".

Learning objective: Use improvisation techniques to create scenes spontaneously.

By the end of this lesson you can:

• I can accept and build offers.
• I can create scenes without a script.
• I can collaborate in a group.

Improv is building a wall together. Each actor hands over a brick (an offer). If you accept it and add your own brick, the wall grows. If you knock a brick away (block), the wall falls down and the scene stalls.

Making it up

RULES OF IMPROV:
• ACCEPT offers ("yes"), then ADD to them ("and").
• Don't block (reject) ideas.
• Listen and react truthfully.
• Make your partner look good.

TECHNIQUES:
• Freeze frames, hot seating (answering questions in role), thought tracking, spontaneous scenes.

| Offer | Block ❌ | Accept + Add ✅ |
|---|---|---|
| "Look, a dragon!" | "There's nothing there." | "And it's wearing my grandma's crown!" |
| "Doctor, my arm hurts." | "I'm not a doctor." | "It's turning purple — have you been near the swamp?" |
| "Happy birthday!" | "It's not my birthday." | "You remembered! Is that cake… moving?" |

Key ideas at a glance

• Yes, and…: Accept and build.
• Be specific: "A red Ferrari" beats "a car".
• Listen more than you talk: The best ideas come from your partner.
• Mistakes are offers: Use them.

Worked example (Easy)

Your partner says "Captain, the ship is sinking!" How do you accept and add?

1. Accept. "Then grab the treasure chest!"
2. Add. Introduces a new goal.

Answer: Accept the situation and add a new idea.

Worked example (Medium)

Use hot seating to develop a character from a fairytale.

1. Choose. The Big Bad Wolf.
2. Questions. Class asks: "Why did you chase the pigs?"
3. Answer in role. "I was starving — the winter took everything."
4. Result. A sympathetic motive emerges.

Answer: Answering in role reveals motivation and depth.

Common mistakes

• Blocking offers Scenes stall. Fix: Always accept and build.
• Planning lines in your head You stop listening. Fix: React to what was actually said.

Theatresports and improv comedy

Improv became a competitive sport in the 1970s with Theatresports, created by Keith Johnstone in Canada. Teams perform scenes from audience suggestions and judges score them.

Australia has a strong improv scene, and many school competitions use Theatresports formats. The skills — listening, accepting and quick thinking — are also valued in job interviews and leadership.

Practice questions

1. Rejecting a partner's idea is called:

   1. Accepting
   2. Blocking
   3. Hot seating
   4. Freezing

   (1 marks)

2. What is hot seating?

   (2 marks)

3. Rejecting a partner's idea is called:

   1. Accepting
   2. Blocking
   3. Hot seating
   4. Freezing

   (1 marks)

4. Hot seating means:

   1. Sitting still
   2. Answering questions in role
   3. Writing a script
   4. Lighting a scene

   (1 marks)

5. Your partner says "Quick, hide — they're coming!" Write an accept-and-add response.

   (2 marks)

Summary

• Yes, and…
• Don't block.
• Hot seating, freeze frames, thought tracking.
• "Yes, and…" keeps the scene growing.