Some games we play really aren’t about the scene at all.  They’re crazy stupidity.  And being actors at heart, we love the truth at the heart of improv, so we try not to play these very often.  But we ARE Lab Rats, and every now and then, we have a tendency to go a little off the wall.

Fish Out of Water / The Bucket Game

(3 players)

One player dunks his/her head in a tank of water.  Yes, real water.  While he/she holds his/her breath, the other two players start a scene based on a suggestion given by the audience.  When the third player is out of breath, one of them must tag that player out, dunking his/her own head into the water.  The carousel of water torture continues until the scene is over.   Oh, and one more twist: Every player must always justify why he/she is leaving the scene, or why he/she is entering it with a wet head.   

Helping Hands

(2-4 players)

One player places his hands behind his back and leaves space between his elbows and his torso.  Another player stands behind him and places his arms through these holes, thus becoming the other player’s arms and hands.  The two players then work together to do some ridiculous, insane task, like make an ice cream sundae or put on makeup.  This has also been done before with the “helping hands” player blindfolded, and with 4 total players pit against each other in a race to finish eating something first. 

Mousetraps!

(2 players)

A variation on the blind scene theme.  Two players must play a scene blindfolded, barefoot, and on a stage covered in live mousetraps!  Ouch.  And oh yeah, each player has to work his/her pain into the scene so that it makes sense.  You like watching us in pain, don’t you, you sick, twisted person!