In the Manner of the Word

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Observe non-verbal cues and practice spontaneous physical improvisation in a low-stakes guessing format.

Use it when: Use as a physical energizer, theatre-style icebreaker, or transition between sedentary agenda items.

Skip it when: Skip when participants are physically fatigued, when mobility constraints prevent comfortable acting, or when analytical focus is needed.

Group arrangement: 2 to 3 actors perform at the front while the rest of the group acts as audience and guessers.

Timing: UWT suggested 15-minute pacing based on the 5 to 15 minute range in source evidence.

Materials and tools

• Printed list of adverbs or prompt cards (optional)
• Timer or stopwatch

Before participants arrive

1. Clear a small performance space at the front of the room where 2 or 3 people can move safely.
2. Have a list of simple adverbs ready in case volunteers need prompt ideas.

Say this to open

We are going to play In the Manner of the Word. A small group of volunteers will pick a secret adverb, like clumsily, nervously, or proudly. The audience will suggest everyday tasks, like washing dishes or boarding a train. The actors will immediately perform that task in the manner of their secret word. The audience will guess the word. Let us get our first two volunteers.

How to run it

1. Introduce rules and select first actors 2 minutes

   Explain the mechanics using the opening script. Ask for 2 or 3 volunteers to step forward as the first acting team. Give them 10 seconds to pick a secret adverb from memory or from a prompt card without saying it aloud.

2. Run round one 4 minutes

   The audience calls out a simple activity, such as shopping for groceries. The actors perform that activity for 10 to 15 seconds in the manner of their chosen word. The audience shouts out guesses. If no one guesses correctly within 15 seconds, call for a new scenario, such as building a campfire. Repeat until the adverb is correctly named or 3 scenarios elapse.

3. Rotate actors and run round two 5 minutes

   Rotate in 2 or 3 new volunteers. Let them choose a new secret adverb within 10 seconds. The audience provides different everyday scenarios. Run the improvisation and guessing cycle again, limiting each scenario to 15 seconds.

4. Debrief observations 4 minutes

   Gather the full room and ask 2 debrief questions about body language, physical cues, and communication.

Debrief questions

• Which specific physical movements or facial expressions gave the word away fastest?
• How did performing together change how you expressed the adverb compared to acting alone?

Finished output: Completion of two to three guessing rounds where the room identifies the chosen adverbs.

Remote

Pin the volunteer performers in the video gallery. Audience members unmute or type scene prompts in the chat. Performers act in front of their webcams. Audience members type their guesses into the chat or shout them out.

Hybrid

Pair an in-room performer with a remote performer on camera, or alternate rounds between an in-person acting duo and a remote acting duo. Ensure remote audio is routed through room speakers so suggestions and guesses are audible to all.

Access and participation choices

• Volunteers can act seated using upper-body gestures and facial expressions.
• Participants may choose to be audience members calling prompts and guesses rather than performing.

If the session gets stuck

Audience calls out bizarre or impossible scenarios that stall the improvisation.

Intervene immediately and assign a common everyday task like folding laundry, walking a dog, or ordering coffee.

The secret adverb is too obscure or ambiguous to guess.

After three failed scenarios, have the actors reveal the word, discuss why it was hard to show, and start the next round.

Terms used here

• Adverb: A word that describes how an action is performed, often ending in -ly, such as cautiously, eagerly, or clumsily.