Comments on: I Need Some Relationship Suggestions

Question: I Need Some Relationship Suggestions

wolfdreams01 — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:42:34 -0800

I teach an improv workshop from time to time, and one of the most popular games that I created is "Dysfunctional Relationships."

What this involves is a set of cards, each with a type of simple interpersonal relationship on it. For example, here are some relationships that might be on the cards:

Pet/Owner
Celebrity/Sycophant
Manager/Employee
Patient/Therapist
God/Devil
Siblings
Rebel/Dictator
Conservative/Liberal

To play the game, two actors come on stage and each draw one relationship card which they look at and show to the audience (but not each other). They then begin a scene where they have to create a relationship similar to what is on their card, but without negating anything the other actor says. This usually results in hybrid scenes about hilarious dysfunctional relationships. For example, if one person draws the "Pet/Owner" card and the other person draws the "Manager/Employee" card, you get a scene like:

"You're late again! This is the third time this week!"
"I'm sorry, I got distracted when I passed several fire hydrants on my way here, and I had to stop to pee on them."
"Yes, HR has told me about your unique disability, but you still have to understand that your productivity is really under par. This company has expectations of you."
"Sir, I understand that. If I might offer a suggestion, maybe my productivity would improve if you took me out on walks and petted me more often."
Etc.

Anyway, my problem is that I lost my relationship cards recently. It took me a really long time to come up with that list, especially since I had to carefully cull options that would result in relationships that might be disturbing and unfunny to the audience. (For example, the "parent/child" and "grandparent/grandchild" cards were removed after a painful scene where the two actors drew both of them at the same time.) It would be a real pain to think up an entire new set of relationship ideas by myself, so I'm hoping that the hive-mind can help me come up with potential interpersonal relationships so that I can make up a whole new set of cards.

By: yellowbinder

yellowbinder — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:47:40 -0800

Actor/Director
Doctor/Nurse
Golfer/Caddy
Detective/Suspect
Waiter/Diner (or Chef)
Bartender/Patron
Politician/Voter

By: juliplease

juliplease — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:48:32 -0800

Driver/Passenger
Writer/Editor
Artist/Critic
Server/Diner
Director/Actor
Cop/Criminal
Attorney/Client
Salesperson/Shopper

By: ocherdraco

ocherdraco — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:49:17 -0800

Teacher/Student
Jailer/Prisoner
Monarch/Jester
Mad Scientist/Scientist's Creature
Predator/Prey
Bartender/Drunk
Priest/Demon
Anthropomorphized Immune System/Anthropomorphized Virus

Are these along the lines of what you're looking for?

By: the_blizz

the_blizz — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:50:29 -0800

I. Love. This.

Hairdresser/Client
Conductor/Musician
Checkout person in the grocery store/Customer
Person/Their conscience
Superhero/Villain
Coach/Athlete

By: wolfdreams01

wolfdreams01 — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:56:13 -0800

Are these along the lines of what you're looking for?

Yes - exactly. Please keep them coming!

By: chesty_a_arthur

chesty_a_arthur — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:57:35 -0800

Doctor/Patient
Hiring manager/Applicant

By: knile

knile — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:08:38 -0800

Landlord/tenant
Farmer/cow

By: Pineapplicious

Pineapplicious — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:12:52 -0800

Call Center/Customer
Help Desk/User
Magician/Assistant
Barister/Coffee Snob

By: deludingmyself

deludingmyself — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:14:41 -0800

Barista/customer
Plumber/homeowner
Parasite/host
Hitchhiker/driver
Superhero/sidekick
Detective/suspect

By: bunderful

bunderful — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:16:08 -0800

cat/mouse
minister/parishioner
actor/fan
reporter/celebrity
author/interviewer
train conductor/commuter
cop/person pulled over for traffic violation
maid/boss
nanny/kids
plumber/client
stripper/customer
bartender/barfly
drug-dealer/buyer

By: bunderful

bunderful — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:16:30 -0800

Does this ever happen in NYC? Because I would love to see it.

By: wolfdreams01

wolfdreams01 — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:31:13 -0800

Does this ever happen in NYC? Because I would love to see it.

Unlike most improv games, this is not an adaptation of an existing exercise - I designed it myself from scratch, and as far as I know no other place uses this technique, though you're certainly welcome to adopt it if you like.

If you do so, one thing that I didn't mention about the game (because it was not germane to the question) is that the characters cannot directly state what their relationship is, and at the end of the scene the actors each have to guess what relationship is on the other person's card. This forces them to develop good listening skills in order to try to decipher what sort of social dynamic the other person is conveying.

Alternatively, if you are visiting Boston at some point for an extended period, you're welcome to memail me and I can arrange for you to stop by and jam with my group.

By: ZeusHumms

ZeusHumms — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:50:49 -0800

Forum Moderator/Forum Poster
Dog/Flea
Jailer/Prisoner
Person taking take out order/Person making take out order
Mechanic/Car Owner
Security Person/Famous Person
Accountant/Client

By: eugenen

eugenen — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:57:05 -0800

Stealing shamelessly my favorite suggestion from my college improv days:

Nun/Mother Superior.

By: misha

misha — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 14:16:14 -0800

Paparazzi/Celebrity
Security Detail/President of the United States
Doctor/Patient (or more specific, like Cardiologist/Heart Patient)
Wife in Labor/Panicked husband

How crazy can we get with this?!

Dragon/Knight
Hunter/Deer
Hound Dog/Squirrel! or Cat/Mouse
Alien (the extraterrestrial kind)/Scientist
Druglord/Undercover cop
Politician/Intern
Cougar/Boy Toy
Sugar Daddy/Bimbette
Pimp/Ho

I have to stop now, this is too much fun!

By: to recite so charmingly

to recite so charmingly — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 14:22:34 -0800

model/agent
game show host/contestant
artist/muse
superhero/sidekick

By: dinosaurprincess

dinosaurprincess — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 14:36:06 -0800

chuck norris/bruce lee
misogynist/feminist
rockstar/manager
baby/baby
detective/femme fatale
alien/xenophobe
psychiatrist/patient
designer/model
vegan/butcher (also father)
author/editor

By: ocherdraco

ocherdraco — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 14:47:43 -0800

baby/baby

This one is genius.

By: saucysault

saucysault — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:12:44 -0800

Ventriloquist/dummy
Porn star/porn movie director
Prostiture/client (or police)
Chicken/egg

I see a lot of them have have power imbalances; is that what you want (easier for beginners) or do you want more equal relationships that are a bit more nuanced or symbiotic?

Spouse/spouce's OTHER partner
Older sibling/younger sibling

By: cat_link

cat_link — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:20:22 -0800

Dowser/ Drought stricken farmer
Interior designer/Wanna be sophisticate
Wedding Planner/Bride to be with unrealistic expectations
Grifter/Mother Teresa
Homeless person/Chamber of commerce promoter
Welcome wagon lady/illicit business in the basement homeowner

By: Metroid Baby

Metroid Baby — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:29:09 -0800

Football player/referee
Motorist/pedestrian
Guru/apprentice
Cat/veterinarian
Psychic/skeptic
Evangelist/atheist
Jock/geek
Child/babysitter
Environmentalist/oil executive
City dweller/tourist
TSA agent/traveler
Bouncer/person with fake ID
Overnight guest/host
Roommate/roommate
Vegetarian/meat eater
Morning person/late sleeper
Spy/spy

By: jenfullmoon

jenfullmoon — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:23:13 -0800

Used car salesman/potential customer
DMV employee/DMV client (or any bureaucratic office, really)
Driver's test giver/student taking the test

By: crunchysalty

crunchysalty — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:58:41 -0800

god/atheist?

By: the young rope-rider

the young rope-rider — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 18:49:17 -0800

Narcissist/Mirror

By: bunderful

bunderful — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 20:32:59 -0800

Princess/ Fairy Godmother
Drycleaner/client
Undertaker/client
Concierge/guest
Nurse/Patient
Guru/seeker
Flight attendant / passenger
Masseuse / client
IRS auditor / taxpayer
HR rep / bad employee
Bride / bridesmaid
Singer / pianist
jogger / dog
comedian / heckler
cruise director / passenger
tour guide / tourist
tourist / native