Gibberish

• Number of Participants: Any
• Age Level: Any
• Source: Theater Games for the Classroom: A Teacher's Handbook by Viola Spolin
• Purpose: To be introduced to the possibilities in nonverbal communication
  

Tell your group that they are going to learn to speak in gibberish. "Gibberish is a vocal utterance accompanying an action, not the translation of an English phrase or sentence," explains Viola Spolin in "Theater Games for the Classroom." Ask everyone to find a partner or two and begin carrying on conversations in gibberish. The gibberish should be its own language, not like Piglatin or Ubby-Dubby (for all of us who remember Zoom).

The meaning of the gibberish will only be clear through the actions and gestures of the speaker, as well as the tone of voice. Have those who seem to be using a monotonous series of syllables ("blah blah blah blah, de dah, de dah...") work with people who are more fluent in gibberish.

After the participants have become used to speaking in gibberish, give them tasks. Have someone stand in front of the group and try to sell the group something, as if he is doing a commercial. Have a person stand in front of the class as a teacher, trying to teach the gibberish-speaking group a lesson. Play a game of soccer or some other athletic event, using invisible equipment, only speaking gibberish. Use your creativity to find different activities for individuals or the entire group. Try using situations with which the group is familiar... meetings, classes, rehearsals, meals, etc.

After the exercise is done, talk with your group (in your native language) about nonverbal communication. How did people get their points across? Did certain people find it more difficult than others to use the gibberish? Why? How can words obfuscate?