The Improv Wiki

Who are you

This exercise helps establish scene and characters. It utilizes a "Yes and" approach. It uses two lines to establish a character, and is a fun exercise/game to try and stump your scene partner. Two Players participate: Player 1 enters the scene and says, "Who are you?" Player 2 names himself. "I am Doug." Player 1 then gives Player 2 characterization, in the form of a question which Player 2 must accept and use to carry out the scene. "Doug the Bartender?" "Yes, what's your poison?" For better use of this, Player 1 should attempt to stump Player 2 by offering a crazy, complex or difficult characterization. For example, "Doug the sexually-repressed Russian dance instructor?" This can progress into an entire scene of its own, however the test of the exercise comes with Player 2 somehow expressing that he/she is the character implied by Player 1.