Synonyms
Get Smart. Doors.
Introduction
Please gather in a line to one side of the stage.
Description
There are two (at least) separate exercises called Doors. Learn Improv has renamed it’s version to Get Smart, because this is what it most closely resembles.
One player will step forward from the line of players and mime a door. The first player should be encouraged to create a rather mundane mime-object door. Other players must listen intently to this mime door, for they all will be required to pass through it.
The first player returns to the end of the line and the second player passes through the first door and then creates a new and different mime door. She then returns to the end of the line. The third player will mime their way through doors one and two, creating a third mime door. This continues until the first player comes around again and passes through all the doors that have been created.
The leader should pay attention to the details of the mime doors. Each player should be encouraged to listen to and accept the offers of the players that went before. Is the door open or closed? Is the handle in the same location as previous? Does it open the same direction?
The doors will quickly become dramatic and unique. There will be sliding doors, number pads, screen doors, swinging doors, ladders, air locks, etc. A mimed door should be functional and overly elaborate and prolonged mime objects may require intervention from the leader.
Passages is an obvious mime exercise. Passages also is a keen listening exercise. Mime not listened to is mime that cannot be reproduced. Reproducing the mime of others helps players explore new ways to move and could improve their breadth of mime objects.
The leader may keep the exercise in check by encouraging the movement of doors so that everything fits in the room. A complication of this exercise is to let advance players work through the stage craft challenge of fitting 8 or more mimed doors in the room. Encourage the players to solve the stage craft challenges as a group without discussion.
Gimmicks
- Eyes Closed -The players on the line keep their eyes closed and only learn the doors from the player in front of them.
- Endow the doors with emotions, genres or environments.
Variations
- Solo Doors – Each time the player passes through a door they create a new character
Credits
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