The Improv Archive

First and Last Line

First and Last Line is a variant of First Line Last Line in which both the opening and closing lines are pre-set. Performers must craft a journey between two fixed points, creating the sense that the ending was inevitable rather than forced. The exercise trains the storytelling skill of reverse engineering a satisfying narrative arc.

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Related Games

Backwards Scene

Backwards Scene is a short-form game in which performers play a scene from its final moment to its first. Each exchange must logically precede what the audience has already seen, creating a reverse-engineered narrative that rewards careful physical and verbal continuity.

How to Reference This Page

APA

The Improv Archive. (2026). First and Last Line. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/games/first-and-last-line

Chicago

The Improv Archive. "First and Last Line." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/games/first-and-last-line.

MLA

The Improv Archive. "First and Last Line." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/games/first-and-last-line. Accessed March 17, 2026.

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