Advice for Directors: Using Games to Direct Scenes

As I direct my second theatrical production - It's Dinner Time!, the play that I have spent four years writing alongside my friend, Maddie Cox - I have developed a hands-on, playful directing style, and become aware of the importance of games in directing scenes. By games, I mean exercises or tasks that actors "play out", enhancing the dynamics and understanding of the scene. In this blog, I will give some examples of rehearsal games and explain why they are effective.

Actors Playing Theatre Games

What do I mean by Using a Game to Direct Scenes?

Firstly, let's discuss games a little more. A game (or exercise) is essentially the process of giving actors tasks to perform related to a scene, rather than "blocking" - the worst thing in the world when it comes to directing (I will explain why in a minute.) A game constitutes a series of rules for actors to follow, with the aim of unlocking "playful" elements of the script, character motivations, and adding dynamism whilst not making actors move for the sake of doing so.

For example, during auditions of It's Dinner Time!, we workshopped a scene where this family is on a television show, watched by the ever-present director, Mr. Wolf (you can read more about the show here.) I devised a game where Mr. Wolf could raise his hand to make the scene reset (reflecting the multiple takes of a film and television set.) This resulted in the same segments of script being repeated several times. The effect of this was amazing: the actors grew frustrated but also more precise (in that they wanted to do "good" so that they wouldn't have to restart); repetition also aids the learning of lines and eradicates perfectionism as the cast know that they can have multiple bites at the same cherry.

The aim was also to make the family work together in communicating silently when to reset. An eye was always kept on Mr. Wolf, exhibiting their paranoia at constantly being surveilled. It also highlighted Mr. Wolf's power, as he could intervene whenever. The game gave the actors something to think about alongside the action of the scene, making it more dynamic.

Another example, during rehearsals, we played word association for a rat to help the ensemble think about the different portrayals of such a creature and to incorporate these with their physicality. Sequences like rat, plague, sewer, stench painted a grotesque picture, aiding their performance.

Why I Despise Blocking?

The term "blocking" itself should already be a red flag - it implies rigidity, pre-conceived structures to fit actors into. Blocking is bad because it does exactly this: it puts actors in places without letting the actors themselves know why they are doing what they are doing. This has to come second during blocking. E.G: You are told to go to the sink. Okay, I must be going there to wash up.

It should be: I need to wash up; I'm going to the sink. Motivation, desire, need (whatever you call it) informs action, not the other way around. Of course, this thought can be subconscious, but simply doing something because you have been told to do it is terrible.

Blocking also destroys collaboration. It is the process of a director telling people what to do. Games make a collaborative environment where actors create performance through the director's guidance. You are a director, not a dictator.

Inspiration for Using Games to Direct Scenes:

Using games to direct scenes isn't a revolutionary thing that I have coined - I have been inspired by other practitioners.

A good book to read is John Wright's Why is that so Funny?

In Why Is That So Funny?, John Wright explores how games can be powerful tools for directing scenes, especially in comedy and devised theatre. He argues that playing a "game" gives actors a clear focus, stakes, and purpose within the scene, encouraging spontaneity and truthful reactions. Rather than overloading actors with psychological backstory, Wright suggests directors set up simple, playable objectives that create dynamic interactions — the "game" becomes the engine of the scene. This approach energises performances, clarifies relationships, and often results in genuinely funny, alive moments that emerge organically.

If you need help devising workshop activities, read Mike Alfred's Then What Happens?.

In Then What Happens?, Mike Alfreds shares his meticulous, actor-focused approach to directing, rooted in clarity, storytelling, and truthful performance. He emphasizes breaking the script down into units of action, exploring characters through objectives, and rehearsing in a way that encourages discovery rather than performance. Alfreds advocates a process where the director’s role is to guide, not dictate, using questions and exploration rather than fixed results. His method aims to produce performances that are fresh each night — living storytelling that grows from deep understanding and genuine ensemble collaboration.

As you can tell, I am heavily inspired by this methodology.

Final Words

People say that there is no right or wrong way to directing. That may be true. However, there is certainly a clear difference between a production that is playful and actor-created/director-curated over one that has been blocked or left entirely to its own devices.

When using games to direct scenes, be as creative as possible. The only rule is that you make the rules. Trust your actors to create their own work - that's why you cast them, after all.

Games unlock new elements of the scenes, you can then polish later.

Happy directing!