Mia and Karen introduced this game to attendees of the May 2012 Improv for Gamers workshop. It’s a fun, quick exercise that promotes letting go of your character and embracing complications–in this case, death.

All too often improvisers (and gamers, which was why it was relevant for our workshop), are over-protective of their characters. The rapid-fire pace of this exercise encourages the improviser to make the most of their 30 seconds on the stage, knowing that, one way or another, one of them isn’t making it out of the scene alive.

Players: 2+
Time: 30 seconds

2 players start with a suggestion (usually location or relationship in this case, something grounding right from the start).
Players start the scene, and within 30 seconds one of them must die. Cause of death will be played out in scene. Scene ends immediately after the death occurs.
Repeat with new players as necessary, keeping it high energy and fast-paced.