Funeral
Performers recall the life of an audience-chosen hero at a "funeral," trying to hold back laughter while provoking the others. The format trains self-control, delivery precision, and the ability to create comedic tension; convenient as a quick competitive game within a short-form block.
Players
3–8
Difficulty
Beginner
Full description
Setup and Launch
Ask the audience to name a character or archetype being "buried" — a fictional hero, a known cultural figure, or a vivid archetype. Performers stand in a line or semicircle facing the audience, like participants in a ceremony, and prepare to share brief memories of the deceased.
Explain the rules: we take turns sharing short facts or anecdotes from the hero's life, trying to make partners laugh while not laughing ourselves. Any audible laugh, snort, or giggle means elimination; the performer takes a step back and leaves the line. Smiling is allowed; disputed moments are decided by the host.
Flow
- Get the suggestion for the deceased and set the tone (calm, restrained) so the contrast amplifies the comedy.
- Give the first speaker the go-ahead and pass the turn along the line: 1–2 sentences per person, no long monologues.
- Mark a laugh break: immediately stop, announce the elimination, and pass the turn to the next performer.
- Keep tempo: at pauses, promptly designate the next person; at interruptions, gently restore the turn order.
- Play until one remaining "non-laugher" is left — they win; if desired, start a new round with a different character.
Make sure statements are grounded in already-mentioned details about the hero: this builds a shared story and amplifies the "contagious laugh" effect.
Key rules
Limit each person's contribution to 1–2 sentences: prolonged monologues kill the tension and reduce the chance of making partners laugh.
Agree on the laugh criterion in advance (any audible break = elimination) and establish that the host's decision is final, to avoid disputes.
Keep the topic safe: don't draw from real recent losses in the audience; choose fictional or distanced characters.
Forbid physical distraction and deliberate interference (pokes, tickling): we provoke only through play and words, otherwise the scene falls apart.
If tempo drops, speed up the delivery rhythm and remind everyone to build on previously mentioned facts — that way jokes come faster and sharper.
Context
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