Forward/reverse
Forward/Reverse is a short-form game in which a scene plays forward normally until the caller says "reverse," at which point performers rewind their actions and dialogue exactly. Another "forward" call resumes normal play. The game demands precise physical and verbal recall and rewards clear, reproducible choices.
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Related Games
Rewind
Rewind is a short-form game in which a host calls out during a scene, causing performers to physically and verbally reverse their actions back to an earlier moment, then replay forward with different choices. The game rewards strong physical memory, comedic timing at the point of replay, and the ability to generate distinct alternatives quickly when the scene resumes.
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.
Scene Replay
Scene Replay is a short-form game in which a scene is performed and then replayed with a significant modification such as a genre change, emotional shift, or time constraint. The audience enjoys comparing the original to the transformed version. The game rewards strong recall of the original scene and inventive application of the new constraint.
The Re-Run
The Re-Run is a short-form game in which a scene is performed once and then replayed with a specific modification such as a genre change, time compression, or emotional shift. The replay reveals how the same material transforms under different conditions. The game rewards precise scene memory and creative adaptation.
Déjà Vu
Deja Vu is a scene game in which a specific line or action triggers an exact replay of a previous moment in the scene. The repetition creates a comic loop that intensifies with each recurrence. The game trains precise recall and the ability to recreate physical and vocal choices exactly.
Mega Replay
Mega Replay is a short-form game in which a scene or series of scenes is replayed multiple times, each time in a dramatically different style, genre, or emotional register. The game demonstrates the ensemble's range and versatility by showing the same material transformed across radically different theatrical and comedic conventions -- from opera to thriller, from silent film to children's television -- rewarding specificity of style and the audience's recognition of each new frame.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Forward/reverse. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/games/forwardreverse
The Improv Archive. "Forward/reverse." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/games/forwardreverse.
The Improv Archive. "Forward/reverse." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/games/forwardreverse. Accessed March 17, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.