The Interrupter
An exercise where one participant repeatedly interrupts another, followed by reflection on the impact of interruption on communication flow.
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Related Exercises
Communal Monologue
Communal Monologue is an exercise in which multiple performers deliver a single monologue together, trading off mid-sentence or mid-thought without any performer beginning a new idea. Each speaker must continue seamlessly from where the last one stopped, maintaining the same voice, tone, and thought. The exercise trains verbal listening, agreement, and the construction of a collective voice.
Surprise Movement
Surprise Movement is an exercise in which performers interrupt their own scenes or monologues with sudden, unexpected physical choices and must justify them within the scene. The exercise breaks habitual movement patterns and teaches players that physical surprises can open new scene directions.
What You Just Said
What You Just Said is a scene exercise in which performers must treat the last thing their partner said as the most important line of the scene and build directly from it. The exercise trains active listening and breaks the habit of waiting for one's turn to speak rather than genuinely responding to offers.
Bing, Bang, Bong
Bing, Bang, Bong is a rhythm and focus exercise in which players stand in a circle and pass energy by pointing and saying the words in strict sequence. A player who hesitates, speaks out of order, or breaks rhythm is eliminated or restarted. The exercise trains group attention and reflexes.
Rapid Numbers
Rapid Numbers is a focus exercise in which players must count in sequence as quickly as possible while following specific rules about who speaks when. The speed creates pressure that exposes lapses in concentration. The exercise sharpens group listening and teaches performers to stay engaged even when the pace exceeds comfortable processing speed.
Copy Line
Copy Line is a scene exercise in which one performer repeats back the exact words their partner just said before delivering their own new line. The mandatory echo forces performers to genuinely hear what was said before responding, building the habit of listening-before-speaking and preventing the common improv drift of planning the next line while the partner is still talking.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). The Interrupter. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/exercises/the-interrupter
The Improv Archive. "The Interrupter." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/exercises/the-interrupter.
The Improv Archive. "The Interrupter." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/exercises/the-interrupter. Accessed March 17, 2026.
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