Forward/reverse
Forward/Reverse is a short-form game in which a scene plays forward normally until the caller says "reverse," at which point performers rewind their actions and dialogue exactly. Another "forward" call resumes normal play. The game demands precise physical and verbal recall and rewards clear, reproducible choices.
Worth Reading
See all books →
The Art of Chicago Improv
Short Cuts to Long-Form Improvisation
Rob Kozlowski
Playing Along
37 Group Learning Activities Borrowed from Improvisational Theater
Izzy Gesell
Theatrical Improvisation
Short Form, Long Form, and Sketch-Based Improv
Jeanne Leep
Theater Games for Rehearsal
Viola Spolin
The Improvisation Game
Discovering the Secrets of Spontaneous Performance
Chris Johnston
Drama Games and Improvs
Games for the Classroom and Beyond
Justine Jones; Mary Ann Kelley
Related Games
Backwards Scene
Backwards Scene is a short-form game in which performers play a scene from its final moment to its first. Each exchange must logically precede what the audience has already seen, creating a reverse-engineered narrative that rewards careful physical and verbal continuity.
Rewind/fast-Forward
Rewind/Fast-Forward is a short-form game in which a host controls the speed and direction of a scene using imaginary playback buttons. "Fast-forward" accelerates the action into the future, "rewind" reverses it, and "play" resumes normal speed. The game demands strong physical commitment and the ability to maintain scene logic across temporal jumps.
Backwards Interview
Backwards Interview is a short-form game in which a talk show interview is performed in reverse chronological order, beginning with the farewell and ending with the introduction. Players must construct logical narrative links that work backward while maintaining the illusion of a natural conversation. The game rewards sharp memory and structural thinking.
Fast Forward
Fast Forward is a scene game in which a caller can jump the scene forward in time, skipping past slow moments to the next point of dramatic interest. Performers must instantly establish the new time frame through changed behavior, dialogue, and physical context. The game trains temporal agility and the ability to communicate the passage of time.
Rewind
Rewind is a short-form game in which a host calls out during a scene, causing performers to physically and verbally reverse their actions back to an earlier moment, then replay forward with different choices. The game rewards strong physical memory, comedic timing at the point of replay, and the ability to generate distinct alternatives quickly when the scene resumes.
Director's Cut
Director's Cut is a short-form game in which a scene is performed, then a "director" calls for it to be replayed in a different genre, style, or with specific adjustments. Each replay transforms the same core scene through a new lens. The game rewards genre awareness and the ability to reinterpret familiar material.
The Lineage
Explore the schools and structures that influenced or evolved from Forward/reverse.
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Forward/reverse. Retrieved September 28, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/games/forwardreverse
The Improv Archive. "Forward/reverse." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/games/forwardreverse.
The Improv Archive. "Forward/reverse." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/games/forwardreverse. Accessed September 28, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.