Old Job New Job
Old Job New Job is a scene game in which a performer plays a character starting a new occupation while bringing habits, jargon, and instincts from a previous career. The comedy arises from the collision between the old professional identity and the new workplace. The game rewards strong character commitment and the ability to find specificity in occupational behavior.
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Related Games
Rendez-Vous
Rendez-Vous is a scene game in which characters arrive at a prearranged meeting point, each with a different assumption about why they are there. The comedy arises from the collision of incompatible expectations as the characters try to make sense of one another's behavior. The game rewards strong commitment to individual character objectives.
Switcheroo
Switcheroo is a game in which performers swap roles, characters, or positions within a scene on command. Each player must immediately adopt the voice, physicality, and perspective of the character they are inheriting. The game tests observational skills and the ability to replicate a scene partner's specific choices.
Dubbed Movie
Dubbed Movie is a scene game in which one set of performers provides the physical action while a separate group supplies all voices from offstage or from the side. The disconnect between bodies and voices generates comedy through mismatched timing, unexpected interpretations, and the challenge of physical performers having to commit fully to words they cannot predict. The game trains both physical storytelling and vocal responsiveness.
Parallel Universe
Parallel Universe is a scene game in which performers play the same scene twice, but the second version takes place in an alternate reality where key details are different. The comedy comes from the contrast between the two versions and the ripple effects of a single changed variable. The game rewards precise recall of the original scene and inventive divergence.
Walkout
Walkout is a scene game in which performers can walk out of a scene at any point, and whoever remains must justify the departure and continue. The unpredictability of exits forces improvisers to stay alert and adaptable. The game trains the ability to maintain scene coherence despite sudden changes in cast.
Henry
Henry is a short-form game in which a character with a fixed name and identity appears across multiple unrelated scenes, played by the same performer throughout. Other performers create new scenes with different premises, and the Henry character enters each scene, bringing the same personality, quirks, and behavioral patterns into wildly different contexts. The running character provides continuity across otherwise disconnected scenes. The game rewards a strong, memorable character who can fit into any scenario while remaining recognizably the same person.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Old Job New Job. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/games/old-job-new-job
The Improv Archive. "Old Job New Job." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/games/old-job-new-job.
The Improv Archive. "Old Job New Job." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/games/old-job-new-job. Accessed March 17, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.