Memory Loss
A low-barrier dramatic pair game that teaches adaptability and making your partner look good, as a storyteller keeps "forgetting" what comes next and their partner fills the gap.
Group Size
2–40
Duration
5 to 15 minutes
Formation
Pairs
Setting
Indoor
Energy Level
Low
Activity Level
Inactive
Physical Contact
None
How to Lead It
Participants sit in pairs, facing each other. Each pair decides who tells the first story, or the leader sets the order. The storyteller begins an improvised story and, after one to three sentences, pretends to forget what comes next, trailing off with "and... and...".
For example: "I was walking down the street carrying my groceries when I saw a dog. The dog ran up to me and... and...".
The partner fills the gap with an offer, for example "...and stood up on its hind legs and grabbed your baguette!" The storyteller accepts whatever the partner said and keeps going: "Right! It stood up and took my bread. It was crazy. It ran off with it, I chased after it, and then... then...".
This continues until the story ends on its own or the leader calls for a switch. Play continues until both partners have told a story, or until the leader ends the activity. You can run more rounds if the energy is right.
Leading Tips
Demonstrate the game in front of the group first as a model.
Make sure pairs are far enough apart that everyone can hear, taking the acoustics of the room into account.
Origin: Improv folk tradition
Leaders Who Teach This
Instructions and tips are ECRS's own descriptions. Any linked recordings or media belong to their original rights holders.