First and Last Line
First and Last Line is a variant of First Line Last Line in which both the opening and closing lines are pre-set. Performers must craft a journey between two fixed points, creating the sense that the ending was inevitable rather than forced. The exercise trains the storytelling skill of reverse engineering a satisfying narrative arc.
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Related Exercises
Last Letter Scene
Last Letter Scene is a hybrid game and exercise in which each line of dialogue must begin with the last letter of the previous line. The constraint forces performers to listen with acute precision -- not to the general content of what is said but to the exact final sound of each utterance -- while maintaining scene coherence, character, and forward momentum simultaneously.
Last Word, First Word
Last Word First Word is an applied improv listening exercise in which each participant must begin their sentence with the last word spoken by the previous participant, carrying the conversation forward through this chain of shared language. The constraint makes end-of-utterance attention mandatory and creates a visible, audible record of how carefully each participant tracked their partner's contribution before responding.
And Then
And Then is a storytelling exercise in which each contribution to a group story must begin with the phrase "and then." The connective phrase enforces forward momentum and prevents storytellers from stalling or backtracking. The exercise trains narrative drive and the habit of advancing rather than circling.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). First and Last Line. Retrieved September 29, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/exercises/first-and-last-line
The Improv Archive. "First and Last Line." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/exercises/first-and-last-line.
The Improv Archive. "First and Last Line." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/exercises/first-and-last-line. Accessed September 29, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.