Talk / No-Talk

If you’re nervous about the idea of doing a scene with no dialogue at all, try this game instead.

It’s very simple. A “caller” – who can be a player or an audience member – calls “Talk!” or “No Talk!”

When the call is “Talk!” the players can talk freely. On the call of “No-Talk!” players are not allowed to talk. Their characters could talk, but, within the scene, they have chosen not to. (Players mustn’t move their mouths silently—this No-Talk is like a Scene Without Words, and not a Silent Movie.)

It might go something like this, starting with a Talk phase…

Paul mimes mopping a floor. Terri enters carrying groceries.

TERRI: OK, I got milk and eggs. They didn’t have any bacon so I got sausages.

CALLER: No Talk!

Paul looks annoyed. He returns to mopping the floor.

Terri puts away groceries. She glances over. She notices his attitude.

CALLER: Talk!

TERRI: What? What have I done wrong.

PAUL: I just thought you might have made some comment about the –

CALLER: (Interrupting him) No Talk!

Paul gestures to the mop, the floor. Paul shakes his head and angrily throws the mop to the ground. He walks into the corner and stands with his arms folded, sulking and fuming.

Remember, characters are making a strong choice NOT to talk. Perhaps they’re angry, or shy, or in love. What seems like a strong verbal restriction looks natural from the audience. In real life, people don’t usually talk constantly.

It’s interesting to watch the change that happens when a No-Talk phase begins. The scenes often become much more interesting. Players pay more attention to each other – they move and react in a different and more interesting way, and emotions tend to build rather than being immediately discharged through flippant dialogue.

With newer players, especially, the caller should be loud in saying “Talk!” or “No Talk!” Actors can often be so wrapped up in their scene that they don’t hear the call. If they do happen to miss it, the caller shouldn’t back down—call again, more loudly. A microphone helps.

Although players are allowed to pause during a Talk phase, the game works better if a performer says something as soon as “Talk!” is called. That way, the audience has a better idea of what’s going on, and the caller can tell that they’ve been heard.

A minor variation is to use a horn or a bell to signal the change from Talk to No-Talk.