Freeze
Freeze is an improv structure where performers freeze in place and are replaced by new performers who copy their exact pose.
label
Handle
Element
Zum Workshop hinzufügen
description
Wie spielt man Freeze?
Synonyms
Clap. Switch. Freeze Tag.
Introduction
Two performers will start a scene and at anytime another performer can yell “freeze” and replace one of the performers in the scene by assuming their frozen pose.
Description
Freeze is the single most famous structure in improv comedy. Freeze takes an ancient playground game and turns it into improv comedy theatre gold. If you are not familiar with Freeze Tag as a handle it is recommended to check out the exercise Freeze Tag.
If you need this one explained you have never seen or done improv (welcome of course!). When a freeze is called all performers in the scene must immediately freeze in whatever position they find themselves in. The audience is watching. When performers “play on” after the freeze a big of the magic is rubbed away. The best yield in this handle is for the performer to quickly move on stage and immediately copy one of the frozen performers. The performer that was copied leaves the stage. The more exact the copy of the pose is the more fun will be had.
Once there is a new performer onstage in the precisely copied pose the scene continues. There are many branches at this point. In the Freeze Tag-Exercise a brand new scene is started informed by the new performers pose. In a performance the narrative is more important and the scene should continue with the new performer introducing a new twist on the scene happening.
Gimmicks
- Freezing a performer in a challenging physical pose and leaving them there.
Variations
Audience Freeze – Audience calls the Freeze.
Space Jump – Specialized Freeze structure where performer are not replaced but increase in number.
Freeze For All – When freeze is called any number of performers can jump on stage replacing any number of performers.
Endowment Freeze – Each freeze is endowed with a location, emotion or genre. May actually be easier than standard Freeze Tag for some.
Eyes Closed Freeze – The off stage performers closes their eyes to they have no information about the pose.
Credits
- None.
account_treeVarianten (10)
- Audience Freeze — Audience calls the freeze.
- Blind Freeze — Waiting players stand with their back to the stage and must work with whatever picture they find when they turn around.
- Challenging Pose Freeze — Freezing a performer in a challenging physical pose and leaving them there.
- Elimination Freeze — Competitive version: players who hesitate or stall are eliminated; last one standing wins.
- Eyes Closed Freeze — The next player faces away or closes their eyes to have less information about the pose.
- Freeze-Endowment — Two performers start a scene and at any time another performer yells 'freeze,' replacing one performer by copying their pose exactly. The host then gets an endowment from the audience (e.g., environment, emotion, genre) which the performers immediately adapt into the scene.
- Freeze-For All — Two performers start a scene. At any time, an off-stage performer yells 'freeze', freezing everyone on stage. Any number of off-stage performers can then enter, copy the exact pose of any frozen performer, who then leaves the stage. The scene resumes from the new poses, creating chaotic and spontaneous scene transitions.
- Freeze-Space Jump — Freeze-Space Jump is a variation of the Freeze handle. It begins with a solo scene based on an audience offer. The host repeatedly calls freeze and adds performers, each starting a new scene based on the frozen positions. Once all performers are on stage, the last performer exits and the previous scene restarts with justified positions, continuing until only the solo scene remains.
- Object Freeze — Focus on poses involving interaction with an invisible object; each new scene must define the object.
- Structured Freeze — Player must always pick the stage left pose.