Mr and Mrs Wright

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Test active listening and immediate physical reaction in a low-stakes group warm-up.

Use it when: Use during an afternoon lull or between intense work blocks when people need physical movement and focused attention.

Skip it when: Skip when the room lacks physical space for lateral movement, when mobility constraints make stepping awkward, or when quiet focus is required.

Group arrangement: Whole group standing with personal space, facing the facilitator.

Timing: UWT suggested 5-minute allocation for briefing, rehearsal, reading, and debrief.

Materials and tools

• 1 copy of the Mr and Mrs Wright narration script (provided in participant_materials)

Before participants arrive

1. Push chairs back or clear tables so everyone has at least two paces of clear space to their left and right.
2. Have the narration script ready on paper or on a screen.

Say this to open

Please stand up where you have room to take steps to your left and right. I will read a short story about the Wright family. Every time you hear the word 'left', take one step to your left. Every time you hear 'right' or 'Wright', take one step to your right. If you prefer to stay seated, point your arm in that direction instead.

How to run it

1. Introduce rules and set space 1 minutes

   Speak the opening script. Direct participants to spread out with an arm's length between them. Confirm that everyone has clear footing and space to move laterally.

2. Test practice cues 1 minutes

   Run two test cues. Call 'left' and verify that everyone steps left. Call 'right' and verify everyone steps right. Remind participants that homophones like 'Wright' or words like 'all right' count as 'right'. For example, if the story says 'Mr. Wright left the house,' people step right on 'Wright' and left on 'left'.

3. Narrate the Wright story 2 minutes

   Read the provided narration script aloud at a steady pace. Pause slightly after directional cues to let people react. Do not eliminate players who make a wrong step. Allow participants to laugh, reset, and react to the next cue.

4. Debrief and reset 1 minutes

   Call a halt when the script ends. Ask two participants to share which cue tripped them up. Invite everyone to return to their seats.

Debrief questions

• Which cue gave you the most trouble, and why?
• What helped you recover when your body moved the wrong way?

Finished output: Completion of the auditory reaction exercise with participants returning to their seats.

Remote

Run on video. Participants turn cameras on and step laterally in their workspace, or stay seated and point their arms left and right into frame. The facilitator reads the script over the main audio channel.

Hybrid

In-person participants spread across the room facing the room camera. Remote participants pin the facilitator video and stand or sit before their webcams. The facilitator reads the script over the central audio feed.

Access and participation choices

• Participants may remain seated and point an arm, tilt their head, or raise a hand to signal left or right instead of stepping.
• Anyone may opt out of moving and serve as a visual spotter without explaining their reason.

If the session gets stuck

Participants drift into one another while stepping.

Pause the reading for five seconds, ask everyone to reset to their starting spots, and continue reading.

People feel self-conscious when stepping in the wrong direction.

Remind everyone that stumbling is the expected outcome of the wordplay, avoid eliminations, and keep reading.

Terms used here

• Homophone: A word that sounds identical to another word but has a different spelling and meaning, such as right and Wright.