No.149
Pantomime Camp Skits
Japanese name: パントマイム・スタンツ
Materials
- Markers for the performance area
- Clock
How to play
- Choose a bright performance area away from the fire and form groups of 2–6. Check the audience's viewing direction. Arrange the same performance space so participants can act either seated or standing.
- Choose one imaginary object together and create a short event showing its use from beginning to end. For example, open a large box, discover something inside, and gently close it.
- Practise keeping the object's height, size, and position consistent. Use expressions and hand movements without real objects or words. Share object and character roles among everyone.
- Give each group up to 60 seconds. Start still and finish with a shared bow. The audience waits until the end to applaud, without shouting guesses during the performance.
- After all groups, share one thing you could picture. Swap roles according to participants' wishes, then let each group perform again for 30 seconds. Tidy up together to finish.
Ways to adapt
Preschool children: imitate using an object beside an adult. Younger primary school children: begin with one movement. Older primary school children and adults: show changes in size and weight. No walking is required; the whole performance can be seated.