Something Old Something New
Something Old Something New is a scene exercise that uses the wedding tradition as a structural prompt, asking performers to incorporate something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue into their scene work, creating a framework for rich object work and thematic exploration.
Structure
Setup
The facilitator explains the structure based on the wedding rhyme: "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." Performers must incorporate elements matching each category into their scene. The items may be physical objects discovered through object work, thematic elements woven into the narrative, or character traits embodied by the performers.
Scene Work
Performers begin a scene and work to naturally incorporate the four elements. Something old might be a family heirloom, a memory, or an established tradition. Something new might be a fresh discovery, a change in circumstances, or a new relationship. Something borrowed might be an item from another character, an adopted mannerism, or a borrowed idea. Something blue might be an emotional state, a physical object, or a reference to sadness or melancholy.
The exercise encourages performers to find creative interpretations of each category rather than settling for literal objects. The most interesting choices play with multiple meanings of the words.
Integration
The goal is not to check boxes mechanically but to weave the four elements into a scene that feels organic. The elements should serve the scene rather than the scene serving the elements. When the four categories are well integrated, they create a thematic richness that a scene built without such constraints might lack.
Variations
The exercise can be performed as a solo monologue, a two-person scene, or a group scene. It can also be adapted to use different categorical frameworks: four seasons, four elements, four emotions, or any other structured set of prompts.
How to Teach It
Objectives
Something Old Something New develops the ability to work within creative constraints, integrate multiple thematic threads, and find inventive interpretations of prompts. It trains performers to discover meaning and connection within structured frameworks.
How to Explain It
"Play a scene. In your scene, include something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. These can be objects, ideas, emotions, or anything else that fits the category. Make them part of the scene, not a checklist."
Scaffolding
Begin by brainstorming creative interpretations of each category before starting scenes. What could "something blue" mean beyond the color? Once performers see the range of possibilities, have them incorporate the elements into scenes. Start with just two categories and build to all four.
Common Pitfalls
The most common pitfall is performers who treat the exercise as a scavenger hunt, mechanically naming objects that fit each category without integrating them into the scene. Coach performers to let the elements emerge naturally from the scene's circumstances. Another issue is performers who address all four elements in the first minute and then have nothing left to discover.
Worth Reading
See all books →The Triangle of the Scene
A Simple, Practical, Powerful Method for Approaching Improvisation
Paul Vaillancourt
Improvising Cinema
Gilles Mouëllic
Group Improvisation
The Manual of Ensemble Improv Games
Peter Campbell Gwinn; Charna Halpern
Acting Through Improv
Improv Through Theatresports
Lynda Belt; Rebecca Stockley
Pirate Robot Ninja
An Improv Fable
Billy Merritt; Will Hines
The Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual
Matt Besser; Ian Roberts; Matt Walsh
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How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Something Old Something New. Retrieved March 19, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/exercises/something-old-something-new
The Improv Archive. "Something Old Something New." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/exercises/something-old-something-new.
The Improv Archive. "Something Old Something New." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/exercises/something-old-something-new. Accessed March 19, 2026.
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