Change
Change is a short-form game in which a caller says "change" at any point during a scene, forcing the last speaker to replace their most recent line with a new one. Repeated calls on the same line demand increasingly creative alternatives. The game trains verbal agility and the ability to generate multiple options for any moment.
Structure
Setup
- Two or more performers play an improvised scene.
- A caller, who may be a host, director, or another performer, stands outside the scene.
- No preparation or suggestion is required to begin.
The Rule
- At any point during the scene, the caller says "change."
- The last performer who spoke must immediately replace their most recent line with something new and different.
- The caller can call "change" again immediately, forcing the same performer to replace their replacement.
- Repeated changes on the same beat demand increasingly creative and varied alternatives.
How the Scene Works
- The scene continues normally between calls.
- Each "change" is both a disruption and an invitation: the performer must find a new line that fits the scene moment.
- Patterns reveal themselves: some performers default to similar alternatives, making their creative range visible.
- The scene accumulates meaning through the alternatives chosen: even discarded lines leave a trace on the scene's direction.
Variations
- Any performer in the scene can call "change," not just an outside caller.
- The rule applies to physical action as well as dialogue: "change" requires the performer to replace their last movement.
- "Change" applies to the entire scene's direction rather than a single line.
How to Teach It
How to Explain It
"Whenever I say 'change,' the last person who spoke has to immediately replace what they just said with something new. A completely different line. And I can say 'change' again right away, which means they replace the replacement. Don't plan ahead. Just find the next line when I ask for it."
Common Notes
- The game reveals which performers have genuine verbal agility and which rely on planning. The value of the exercise is in observing that range.
- The caller should vary the frequency of calls. Too many calls in rapid succession becomes chaotic. Too few calls and the game disappears into normal scene work.
- Performers benefit from treating discarded lines as genuinely let go. Performers who hold onto a discarded line they liked, waiting to insert it later, are not in the game.
Common Pitfalls
- The performer being changed slows down or thinks visibly before replacing the line. The replacement should arrive as immediately as the original.
- The caller targets the same performer repeatedly, which becomes more a test of individual stamina than a scene exercise.
- The scene loses all narrative coherence because changes arrive too quickly for any content to accumulate.
How to Perform It
Audience Intro
"In this game, at any moment I say 'change,' the last person who spoke has to immediately say something completely different. I can say it again and again. Let's see how many options they've got. Give us a suggestion to start."
Cast Size
- Ideal: Two performers, one caller.
- Three performers can work but the frequency of change calls needs adjustment.
Staging
- Standard scene staging. The caller stands at the edge of the playing space.
Wrap Logic
- The host ends the game after a strong peak of rapid alternation or after a line lands as a clear button.
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Related Exercises
New Choice
New Choice is a short-form game in which a caller interrupts performers mid-scene by shouting "New Choice," forcing the last speaker to immediately replace their most recent line or action with something entirely different. The caller may fire multiple calls in rapid succession, pushing performers through a cascade of alternatives under pressure. The game trains verbal agility, commitment to offers, and the capacity to abandon choices without hesitation.
More or Less
More or Less is a short-form game in which the audience or a director calls out "more" or "less" during a scene, instructing performers to intensify or diminish a specific element of their performance. Players must adjust their energy, emotion, physicality, or character choice on command, calibrating their performance in real time. The game trains responsiveness to external direction and teaches performers that every choice exists on a spectrum that can be dialed up or down. It also demonstrates to audiences the mechanics of performance calibration, making the invisible craft visible.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Change. Retrieved March 19, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/exercises/change
The Improv Archive. "Change." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/exercises/change.
The Improv Archive. "Change." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/exercises/change. Accessed March 19, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.