Drivers
A short scenic piece about a person behind the wheel: external encounters along the route are accompanied by an audible stream of their thoughts. Use this format to train subtext, honest emotions, and the tension between action and inner experience.
Players
3–8
Difficulty
Beginner
Full description
Setup and Launch
Distribute roles: one actor is the Driver onstage; one is the "voice" (offstage/in darkness/with a side microphone); the rest are characters in the locations. Ask the audience for a starting premise (where and why the protagonist is driving) and, if desired, the story's tone. Agree on signals: the Driver's pauses are windows for the "voice" to enter; location changes happen on a clear editing signal from the coach (light/sound sting/verbal cue).
Flow
1) Start and rhythm
The Driver begins "in the car": clear driving physicality, eyes on the road, minimal set. The coach sets the first route or marks the destination. Pace is unhurried, with spacious pauses for inner insertions.
2) Locations and meetings
Arriving at a stop — a short physical shift (parking/turning off ignition) and partners enter. Play specific circumstances and characters' goals; the external world doesn't "hear" the inner stream. One location — 45–90 seconds, then back in the car and on down the route.
3) Inner stream
The "voice" speaks in images, concisely: feelings, desires, doubts, memories, contrasts. Phrases are short — leave air for the Driver to react. The stream adds depth and tension; it doesn't direct the actions or retell what's visible.
4) Escalation and finale
Scenes alternate: road — meeting — road. Build stakes through recurring motifs and the protagonist's intensifying choices. The finale arrives when the external action and inner impulse converge in a confession/decision; the coach gives a clear blackout.
Key rules
The inner voice uses concise, imagistic phrases; avoid retelling what's visible and directives like 'do this'.
The Driver leaves silence for inner insertions and reacts through behavior, not lines like 'as my inner voice said'.
Partners in the external scenes play their own goals and don't address the 'voice'; the world is unaware of the inner layer.
Keep the pace: 3–4 locations at 45–90 seconds each; edit before the idea runs out.
If the stream of thoughts drifts into jokes or commentary, shift focus to feelings, memory, or a contrasting viewpoint, or change location.
Context
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