Drama Game: Know Thy Place

Know Thy Place

A silent exercise in which players have to work out their social rank.

• Age: 11 to adult
• Players: Whole group
• Time: 15-30 minutes
• Skills: Team building, status
• Materials: Pack of playing cards with the Jokers removed

Shuffle the pack and give every participant a card face down (Aces will be low so that the King is the highest card). Each player should hold the card against their forehead – still without looking at it. Now explain that the card will represent their status in society.

Invite the players to walk slowly around the room, reacting non-verbally to other people according to the status denoted by their cards. They may choose to ignore someone with a low value card; they could show deference or be friendly towards people with a high card.

They will start to get an idea of the value of their own card by the reactions they receive from other people. It is vital that they don't make any sound. Communication will be through facial expression and body language.

Picture card-holders may become aware of their status quickly, as will those with a lower value card – but it is not so easy for people with a card somewhere in the middle. You may find that people with higher cards start to band together – or they may become aloof from everyone else.

After ten minutes or so ask everyone to get into a curved line (so that they can all see each other) according to where they thought they came in the pecking order. Designate one end of the room for low and the other for high status.

Finally participants can look at their cards to see if they were right. Some may find they were completely wrong and were trying to play high status despite having a lower card. The game can lead on to a useful discussion about how players guessed their cards and how they felt about the way others treated them. What kind of body language did people use (e.g. avoiding/making eye-contact)?

David Farmer runs www.dramaresource.com – a site that offers a wide range of ideas, games and courses for drama practitioners. He is the author of several books including 101 Drama Games and Activities, from which this game is taken.