RUEN

History in genres

Classic genre game: first performers play a short "ordinary" scene, then replay it in chosen styles (film, TV, literature). Good for training memory, basic story clarity, and genre expressive tools.

Players

2–8

Difficulty

Beginner

Host

Yes

Full description

Setup and launch

Explain the goal: play a simple base scene and then replay the same story in different genres, keeping the key events and relationships. Ask performers to keep the scene brief and clear, with emphasis on "who-where-what." Note the "landmarks" for memory: significant lines, turning points, staging, objects and their placement.

Collect or suggest a list of recognizable genres (e.g., soap opera, noir, musical, documentary, action film). Agree on timing: base scene 60–90 seconds, each replay 30–60 seconds. Stress the rule: same story, different style.

Flow

The host keeps the pace, watches for clarity, and assigns genres sequentially.

  1. Base scene. Two or three people play a simple situation until the first natural conclusion or the host's stop. Make sure the relationships, location, and objective are clear.

  2. Genre selection. The host quickly announces the first genre (recognizable and contrasting) and reminds: preserve the plot "landmarks" and relationships, adapt the form — pace, vocabulary, intonation, physicality.

  3. Replay 1. Performers repeat the same story, emphasizing the genre's conventions (frame composition, clichés, tone), without inventing a new plot. Where possible, they maintain the staging and work with imaginary objects.

  4. Replays 2–3. The host assigns the next genre(s), shortening the time. Ensures the characters and their relationships remain the same, while the genre markers are vivid and clean.

  5. Brief debrief. Note which "landmarks" helped hold the story, where the genre distorted the plot, and which expressive tools worked best.

Key rules

  • Keep the base scene simple and clear; stop it after 60–90 seconds, when there are already clear characters, location, and event.

  • Require keeping the same plot "landmarks" and relationships; the genre changes the performance form, not the plot.

  • Ask performers to roughly repeat the staging and object work — this supports memory and makes replays readable.

  • Choose familiar and contrasting genres; limit each replay's time to avoid dragging and plot drift.

  • If the genre drifts into caricature, remind of the truth of relationships and refocus on the scene's key events.

Context

🧺 Cart