Capturing the Whatsit

By | August 2, 2010

Synonyms

Character Hunt

Introduction

Please start with one player on stage and the rest in a line ready to go.

Description

The player on stage assumes a neutral position. The next player in line is a photographer trying to get a photo of a rare character. The photographer is endows the player on stage with a character. The photographer should be encouraged to give a layered description that includes movement, sound and want. For example, the photographer may announce that she is tracking a “happy wart hog that juggles.”

The player being tracked immediately adopts this endowed character and starts to move around the stage. In this case like a happy juggling wart hog. The two move about until the photographer gets a good photo. The photographer imitates the whatsit as closely as possible. This signals that the photo has been taken and the first player goes to the back of the line.

The next player endows a new character onto the player on stage and the photography continues until all players have participated in both roles.

This is different from other character exercises because the player is being endowed with the character trinity of movement, sound, and want. This is a complex offer that the player should try to accept and commit to fully. Having player getting endowed character traits allows that them to explore ones that they may not have considered.

Gimmicks

  • None.

Variations

  • Park Bench
  • Help Desk
  • Hunting the Whatsit – The photographer is a hunter. Kills, eats and becomes the character.

Credits

None