Character Improv Roleplay Exercise

Purpose

This exercise helps delegates build self-confidence, step outside their comfort zones, and explore emotional expression by embodying randomly assigned characters. Through improvisation, delegates learn how to adopt different personas and explore new perspectives, which enhances personal development and creative thinking.

Objective

Each delegate will be assigned a random character with a brief description. In pairs, they will collaborate to improvise a short scene where their two characters interact. After role-playing their scene in front of the group, delegates will reflect on how adopting a character helped them explore emotions, and how it felt to embody a new persona.

What You Need

• Character Cards. A full list is provided at the end. Here area some examples:
  • A stubborn detective
  • A nervous chef
  • A carefree surfer
  • A grumpy librarian
• A space large enough for performance
• Optional props for extra creativity

Setup

• Explain that this exercise will help delegates step into new roles, using improvisation to explore different emotions and personas. Emphasise that the goal is to have fun, be creative, and gain confidence while performing in front of others.
• Either distribute one Character Card to each delegate at random, or spread the cards on a table and let delegates choose what they like.
• Encourage delegates to spend a few moments thinking about how they might embody their character, including body language, voice and attitude.
• Pair up delegates. If you have an odd number of delegates make a group of 3.
• Get each pair to work together to improvise a short scene of about 3 minutes length where their characters interact. Let them know that the interaction can be set in any scenario such as in a park, at a café or on a spaceship. They should decide on a setting and situation for their scene.
• Give each pair 7 minutes to discuss and practice their scene. Remind them that improvisation is about being spontaneous and creative, so there’s no need to script the dialogue. They should focus on how their characters would realistically react to each other and the situation. They can plan the general conversation they will have. They should take steps to somehow communicate to the audience the settings of the environment they are in.
• Bring back everyone together. Create a space for roleplay and arrange the seats for the audience.
• Get pairs to present their improvised scenes one by one in front of the group. Encourage delegates to fully embrace their characters and have fun with the roleplay.
• Once all pairs have performed, invite the group to provide positive, constructive feedback on the performances. After feedback is shared, lead a discussion about how delegates felt while embodying their assigned characters.

Timing

Explaining the Exercise: 2 minutes

Activity: 7 min preparation + (3 min presentation x number of pairs) = 19 minutes for 8 delegates

Group Feedback: 10 minutes

Discussion

After all scenes have been performed, lead a discussion about the experience. Use the following questions:

• How did it feel to embody a character that was very different from your real self?
• What challenges did you face in improvising and staying true to your character during the scene?
• How did the interaction with your partner’s character influence how you approached your own character?
• Were there any moments where you surprised yourself with how you portrayed the character?
• How can the experience of embodying different personas help you in real life—whether in professional settings, personal interactions, or self-expression?
• What did you learn from watching other groups perform? What stood out the most?

Variations

• Provide props so they can express themselves more efficiently or communicate what they are doing visually.
• Have groups of 3 or 4 perform together with more characters in one scene.
• Add character cards to the mix and set them based on your specific training needs to bias the exercise.

Character Cards

A stubborn detective

A nervous chef

A carefree surfer

A grumpy librarian

An overconfident astronaut

A shy poet

An eccentric artist

A computer geek

A stubborn senior

A tough gangster

A clumsy magician

A charismatic CEO

A smug car salesperson

An introverted scientist

A spiritual biologist

A sarcastic barista

A rebellious teenager

A paranoid conspiracy theorist

A pessimist journalist

An adventurous archaeologist

A competitive athlete

An indecisive travel blogger

A bored security guard

A flirtatious bartender

A daydreaming inventor

A sceptical lawyer

A forgetful historian

A cynical comedian

A neurotic wedding planner

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