Three Words or Less

The rules of this game are very simple. Players are allowed to speak, but can only speak a single line at a time, and can’t speak again until another player has spoken. Each line must be no more than three words long.

The urge to keep talking and control the scene with words is very powerful. If this scene becomes mostly conversation, it will be tough going, and may degenerate into caveman speech (“I go office!”) or end up with players adding charades and gesticulations to explain the “missing words”.

Instead, look at this as a Scene Without Words, where players have the added bonus of being able to say a few words if necessary. Although dialogue is allowed, the scene should still focus on action, and will be mostly silence. When players do speak, each line should appear perfectly natural.

You might have two old people sitting on a bench, looking out at the river.

HENRY: Warm tonight.

DORIS: Oh yes.

HENRY: Hear those crickets?

Doris nods.

Henry eyes her up and down, then shifts closer to her. She glares at him. Awkward, he shifts back.

Henry takes a flask from his pocket and opens it. He takes a swig, then offers the flask to Doris.

HENRY: Want some?

DORIS: Certainly not!

She glares at him again. He is embarrassed. He closes the flask.

HENRY: It’s medicinal.

The characters in the scene are choosing not to speak much and are comfortable leaving long pauses. (Or perhaps they are very uncomfortable. Either way, the pauses are there for a reason.) If you can make sense of that, you will produce an interesting scene.

Emphasize acting, movement and emotion. The point of restricting dialogue is to put more energy in these other, often neglected aspects of the scene.