The Improv Archive

10 Titles

10 Titles is a short-form scene format in which the host collects ten audience titles, posts them where the room can see them, and the cast improvises each scene in order. The format stays clear because every round begins from a specific title and the full list gives the audience a visible roadmap for what is coming next.

Structure

Setup

  • The host asks the audience for ten titles for scenes or stories.
  • The cast writes the titles on a board that stays visible to the audience.
  • The host reads the full list back so the room knows the order.

How the Format Moves

  • The cast plays the first titled scene.
  • When that scene is done, the next title on the board becomes the next prompt.
  • The company continues until all listed titles have been played.

What Keeps It Clear

  • The board matters because it lets the audience track where the show is inside the sequence.
  • The title should shape the opening move quickly so the room can feel the connection between prompt and scene.
  • The format works best when each scene feels different from the one before it.

How the Round Ends

  • Each scene usually ends with a light edit from tech or the host.
  • The full format ends after the cast has completed the last posted title.

Common Variations

  • Use five titles instead of ten when the show needs longer scenes.
  • Mix suggestion types so one round uses a title, another uses a genre, and another uses a film-style prompt.
  • Adjust the number of scenes to fit the running time.

How to Teach It

Objectives

  • train players to launch from a clear title without overplanning
  • build flexibility from scene to scene instead of settling into one rhythm
  • strengthen contrast across cast size, tone, and pacing

Coaching Notes

  • Put the full list where everyone can see it. That keeps the ensemble oriented and reduces confusion about what comes next.
  • Re-read the titles before play starts so the cast and audience share the same roadmap.
  • Coach for contrast. If two scenes land in the same energy, relationship style, or cast size, ask the next scene to swing in a different direction.
  • Remind players that the title is a launch point, not a joke to explain.

Notes That Appear Directly in Source Material

  • Hoopla's top tip is variety: vary style, pace, length, and emotion from scene to scene.
  • The documented variation allows different prompt types for different scenes, including titles, genres, locations, or movie-style prompts.
  • The documented variation also allows the number of scenes to expand or contract to fit the show.

How to Perform It

One-Line Audience Intro

Give us ten titles for scenes or stories, and we will play them one by one in the order you give them.

Playing Notes

  • Keep the titles visible so the audience can follow the sequence.
  • Recap the list before the first scene so the room hears the order clearly.
  • Use contrast on purpose. A dense group scene can be followed by a quiet two-person scene. A broad comic scene can be followed by something more grounded.
  • Vary style, pace, length, and emotional temperature so the format feels like a full set rather than ten versions of the same scene.

Wrap-Up Logic

  • End each scene with a clean light edit rather than letting it drift.
  • End the format as soon as the final listed title has been played.

History

Hoopla documents 5 Titles / 10 Titles as a format used by Grand Theft Impro, a long-running London troupe with a regular monthly show at Hoopla. The current source base confirms documented troupe use and a contemporary rules outline, but it does not yet establish a first inventor or first publication for the format.

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Related Games

5 Titles

5 Titles is a short-form scene format in which the host gathers five audience titles, posts them where the audience can see them, and the cast plays the scenes in that order. The visible list gives the set a clear roadmap while still allowing each title to launch a distinct standalone scene.

Five Titles

Five Titles is a short-form game in which the cast generates five scene titles from an audience suggestion and then performs each title as a brief, complete scene. The titles are created collectively and posted visibly before any scenes are played. The game rewards rapid creative synthesis, the ability to find a complete scene inside a single phrase, and the audience's pleasure of watching titles they helped create become real.

How to Reference This Page

APA

The Improv Archive. (2026). 10 Titles. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/games/10-titles

Chicago

The Improv Archive. "10 Titles." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/games/10-titles.

MLA

The Improv Archive. "10 Titles." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/games/10-titles. Accessed March 17, 2026.

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