Improv Pillars
Two audience members are brought on stage to stand as "pillars" at the edges. Two players run a scene, and whenever a player runs out of words or wants a jolt, they tap a pillar, who says any random word aloud — and the player must instantly fold that word into their next line as if they meant to say it. It's a justification and spontaneity drill with a built-in curveball. The player can't plan the word, so they practise accepting a random gift and making it belong. It teaches quick integration and the reflex of never breaking the scene for a surprise — plus it pulls the audience delightfully into the action.
🎓 Tips
Tap the pillar at a real need, not as a tic. The word should rescue or twist the scene, not just interrupt it. Whatever word comes, take it fully — no groaning, no "that's hard". Owning the odd word instantly is the entire skill. Brief the pillars to offer clean single words, not phrases or jokes. The player supplies the comedy from the word.
Spotted a mistake, a missing variant, a better way to run it? Change it.