Invocation

By | April 15, 2019
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Synonyms

I am.

Introduction

Can 5 to 6 players please line up facing the remainder of the group.

Description

Invocation is an exercise that deeply explores the appearance and meaning of a simple object. The leader chooses an inanimate object for the players to invoke appearance, meaning and life into. Invocation has a very structured process. Each round is explored by every player in the line up.

  1. It is…
    1. How does the object appear to the player?
    1. Concrete descriptors, not actions or emotions.
    1. Colour, shape, style, smell, etc.
  2. You are…
    1. How does the object relate to the player?
    1. Connected like a person with a quality or role.
    1. Colleague, peer, jobs, family.
  3. Thou art…
    1. How does the object relate to the society?
    1. Poetic descriptions of status, power, and role.
    1. Action words.
  4. I am…
    1. How does the player feel as the object?
    1. Definitive statements of power and action
    1. First person frame of reference.

Let’s use the example of a spoon. There are four players invoking the elements a common spoon. There need not be threads or tracks that each player follows. Nor must players use the contributions of other players. However, the exercise will be stronger if players create threads and connect the elements of other players. The leader may impel more experienced players to add a higher level of listening.

Invocation using a spoon.

  1. It is…
    1. It is silver and smooth.
    1. It is ornate.
    1. It is heavy and strong.
    1. It has a stain in the scoop part.
  2. You are…
    1. You are my helper in the kitchen.
    1. You shovel my ice cream.
    1. You keep me nourished.
    1. You hold the drug that is killing me.
  3. Thou art…
    1. Thou art what feeds my family and village.
    1. Thou art the purveyor of icy lactate joy for children
    1. Thou art the measurer of salt for the army.
    1. Thou art the dispenser of plague stopping medicine.
  4. I am…
    1. I part your lips addressing your palettes the will to go forth.
    1. I am held with a grip defines power and discipline
    1. I am the measurer of all quantities and the divider of power.
    1. I am the scooper of ice cream, melons and eyes.

Gimmicks

  • None.

Variations

  • Deification – The object is elevated from a description to a god in the four steps.

Credits