Scenes from a Hat
The MC draws audience-written prompts from a hat one by one. Players jump up and instantly perform a short scene or response to whatever is read out.
About
Scenes from a Hat (popularised by Whose Line Is It Anyway?) is a fast-moving short-form showcase that rewards speed, commitment and the willingness to be the first person to jump up. Prompts can be scene starters, single lines, situations or challenges. The best responses are immediate and committed rather than carefully planned.
How to Play
- 1
Before the show, the MC collects written prompts from the audience on slips of paper placed in a hat.
- 2
The MC draws a prompt and reads it aloud: 'Things you should not say at a job interview', 'Unlikely opening lines to a romance novel', etc.
- 3
Players jump up immediately and perform a brief response - a line, a mini scene, a physical moment.
- 4
Multiple players can jump up simultaneously or in sequence for the same prompt.
- 5
The MC moves to the next prompt as soon as the energy peaks.
Variations
- -Themed hat: all prompts relate to a single subject, event or shared experience of the group. Two-person scenes: all prompts must be played as two-person scenes rather than solo responses.