Drama Games: Detective Handshake
Drama Games Home | Module 2 Home | Unit A: Home
Aims and Purpose
- To get your participants/players up on their feet and comfortable with moving around.
- To have your participants/players meet one another.
- To encourage collaborative work.
- To get you - the group leader - comfortable with a little bit of "controlled chaos".
Materials/Resources
- Nothing other than enough space to move around.
Set-up
- With the group quietly sitting in a circle tell the group that they are all going to a party!...
- ...but unfortunately at this party their is a "murderer".
- It is the groups responsibility to identify who the "murderer" is.
Order of Activity
- Designate a "murderer" by having the whole group close their eyes while seated in the circle. Walk around the outside of the circle and select the "murderer" by tapping one participant firmly on the shoulder, they will the "murderer" for this game.
- Once you have designated the "murderer" say "go" at which point every group member (including the murderer) must introduce themselves to as many people as possible in the group.
- The "murderer", while introducing themselves, discreetly "kills" the people that they meet. They do this by secretly scratching someone's hand when they shake hands.
- If "murdered" the participant must fall to the ground and "die" in the most over-dramatic way they can muster.
- The game is complete if either the "murderer" kills everyone or when someone identifies the "murderer" before they are "killed" themselves.
Notes on the Game
- Participants don't have to "die" as soon as they are "murdered" they can keep meeting people for a short time - this allows the "murderer" to remain secret for slightly longer.
- The "murderer" doesn't have to "kill" everyone that they introduce themselves too.
- If someone wants to identify the "murderer" they should say loudly, "Wait I think I know who the Murderer is!" if they are correct the game is over if not they too should "die".
Extensions to the Game
The "party" that your group is pretending to attend can be different each time:
- A costume party where each participant explains what costume they are wearing.
- A high society party where each participant can create a extravagant name and title for themselves.
- A fictional character party where each participant choses a character to play.