How to Play The "Questions Only" Improv Game

In improvisation, it is generally a bad idea to ask questions unless they are not placed for a specific purpose in moving the scene forward.

Wrongly placed questions can quickly make the scene clumsy and unmanageable. It often makes it impossible to even move the scene forward.

Why, then, is there an improv game of only questions? It's funny, and it brings awareness to how difficult it is to have improv with questions.

I will show you how to enjoy a game of "Questions Only" improv!

How to Play The "Questions Only" Game in Improv

The first key to playing this game is to establish the rules. You can change and customize according to the needs of your group, as long as you keep the basic foundation of nothing but questions allowed.

In this game, I must affirm again: you are allowed to only ask questions. In order to link the questions together, you can reply in one short sentence. Then, a new question must be asked. That is essential to the humor, purpose, and progress of the game.

If you have time, you might want to take your group to check out how "questions only" are sometimes used in performance comedy skits. It's rare, but check out your local improv groups. If you are in a big city, that is much more of a luxury. If not, try performing it in front of your group as an example. That will lead to laughs for sure.

Now, you are ready to truly begin...

Split everybody into two groups.

This new person then starts the scene over as a different character but keeps within the same theme as the last.

With the two groups, form dual lines that lead to the stage. One person from each group should take the stage first.

These two taking the stage are the first improv partners. They start a scene where they can speak only in question form.

Make sure the first person to ask the question chooses one that suits your purposes. If you are aiming at pure comedy, have them ask a really outrageous question that the receiver can take anywhere, including preferably to an even higher level of outrageousness.

Monitor the game closely. If they break that rule or, if they simply cannot think of additional questions, that person goes to the back of the line. The next person in their line goes up to the stage, and the game should quickly continue. The person who did not break the question game is the "winner" of the scene and continues on until they jam up.

The people at the front of each line then do a scene where they can only speak in the forms of questions. As soon as somebody has trouble continuing the scene, they go to the back of their line and is replaced by the person at the front.

The person who did not break the question game is the "winner" of the scene and continues on until they jam up.

This should continue until all have had the chance to ask, or until time and practical consideration deem you end it early. It's a great way to learn who can really be a survivor in comedy!