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Step 1
Select two performers to play the game.
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Step 2
Ask the audience to suggest emotions. Keep taking suggestions until you have a list of several contrasting emotions.
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Step 3
Ask the audience to suggest a setting.
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Step 4
The performers establish who they are and what they're doing with a few lines of emotionally neutral dialogue.
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Step 5
The caller calls out the first player's name followed and an emotion from the list, followed by the second player's name and a contrasting emotion from the list.
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Step 6
The actors continue with the scene without acknowledging the interruption, but applying the appropriate emotions. The change in emotion should happen quickly but it should be justified with an action or line of dialogue.
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Step 7
Repeat steps 5 and 6 a few times. The caller should give the players emotions that contrast with each other and with the emotions they just played, rather than strictly following the order on the list. The actors should play each emotion at a high level to heighten the contrast.
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Step 8
The performers must work to maintain continuity in the scene and keep the scene moving forward through the changes.
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Step 9
The game should end when the scene reaches a natural climax, even if the performers have not run through every emotion on the list.
