Cut
A long-form where any player calls "Cut!" to freeze one scene and launch another — all threads weave into a single story, live film editing style.
Players
4–15
Duration
15-20 min
Difficulty
Intermediate
Full description
Setup and Launch
Get a suggestion from the audience — a location, a relationship, a word. Two players start the first scene. From that point on, any offstage player can call "Cut!" to freeze the action and begin a fresh scene with different players.
Before starting, agree on whether you're playing with open cuts (anyone calls them) or a single director who controls the pacing. Consider picking a genre frame — soap opera, hospital drama, cop show, romantic comedy, murder mystery — to give the ensemble a shared tonal anchor.
Flow
Each player sticks to one character throughout. When a scene gets cut, it's not dead — any player can return to it later, picking up exactly where it left off. All scenes build toward a single shared story.
Key rules
Anyone can call "Cut!" to freeze a scene and start a new one. Cut scenes aren't lost — return to them later. The contrast between scenes drives the form, so lean into sharp tonal shifts.
Format structure
Context
What to try next
Similar formats, so you can keep the rehearsal moving without stopping to search.
Installation
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