Synonyms
One Brain. One Voice
Introduction
Five players linked together arm in arm forming a semi-circle.
Description
Speak In One Voice is both an exercise and handle. Here we discuss the exercise version of this structure.
The goal of Speak In One Voice is to have all the players say the same thing at the same time. While this sounds impossible it is a great opportunity to improve both listening and sharing aspects of the player’s skill set. Speak In One Voice is not a follow the leader exercise. The most important goal for the leader to encourage is that the players to follow the collective noise and not one player.
For example, the players will all start with different phonemes (basically a noise). One player will be going “ssssss” another player will be going “mmmm” another “fffffff.” They will collectively agree on one sound, for example “ssssss.” They group will then slide into a word that starts with “ssssss.” This should not be seamless. The sound should waver around options from “sssllll” to “ssssst” to “sssmmm.” It will sound odd for sure. As the group of players move through this process they will find a word that they can “speak in one voice.” So “ssslll” may become “slip”, or “ssst” will become “stop.”
This sounds difficult because it is. This is the pinnacle of listening and accepting. Commitment is limited to a group decision. Players who are prone to leading or driving a scene have to give up control below that atomic element of a word. Players that do not get to lead in open scenes will get to feel heard, possibly for the first time ever.
In industrial workshops Speak In One Voice will reveal the manager or owner of the institution instantly.
Some groups of players will benefit from a few alterations to this structure. Try working with the player’s having their eyes closed. The leader can conduct the formation of the word by moving from on player to another.
Gimmicks
- None
Variations
- Two groups of players have a conversation.
- Eyes closed. Just listen to the sounds
Credits
None.