Be Honest With Them
A short form improv game
I love the improv game “Inner Dialogue,” where improvisers perform a scene while offstage voices reveal what the characters are really thinking. But I often perform in a Duos show, and the format doesn’t work as well when the players can trigger their own inner thoughts at will.
So I came up with a variation that lets the audience decide when players have to tell the truth. It’s a blast to play because it has a similar effect on a scene as New Choice/Shoulda Said: it pushes players toward direct, meaningful offers that continuously heighten the narrative.
The game has caught on at Unexpected Productions’ long-running Duos show over the past couple of months, so I wanted to document it and share it with the broader improv community.
Be Honest With Them
description
The improvisers begin a scene based on an audience suggestion. When the audience feels a player is being too polite or not saying what they really think, anyone can shout “Be Honest With Them.” The last player to speak then replaces their line with a more honest, direct response—sometimes blunt, sometimes surprisingly vulnerable.” The scene continues as if the original line had never been spoken.
notes
Before the scene starts, coach the audience to yell “Be Honest With Them” when they feel a player is being too polite or not saying what they really think. Also suggest that the game works best when they don’t do it after every line.
As the game has caught on, I’ve seen improvisers coach the audience to yell “Be honest” rather than the full “Be honest with them.” I’d recommend using the full phrase, since it’s easier for the performers to hear clearly over audience laughter and chatter. And for some reason, it also seems to reduce the audience’s tendency to yell it after every line.
Variations
Instead of using the audience, have the emcee ring the bell and call “Be Honest With Them.”
tags
shortform, audience, scene, directed, justification
The author and Paul Furio, a cohost of the Cascade Improv Podcast, being honest with each other at UP’s Duos show. Photo courtesy Bill Grinnell Photos.