Using Letters in Improv Scenes
This came up in a class I was teaching last night, and I thought it would be a fun thing to write a blog about; using letters in improv scenes.
It’s such an enjoyable move in a scene to come in and say, “There’s a letter for you,” or “He wrote you this,” or to receive something through the post. There are a variety of reasons why a letter might be introduced.
Firstly, it might just make logical narrative sense. Two characters might be separated, or the story might take place in the past, where letter-writing is the only way they can communicate. But it’s also a really useful narrative device.
In last night’s class, we had a main character who’d been going through lots of ups and downs. Someone entered and said, “There’s a letter for you.” It was really exciting, we didn’t know what the letter contained.
As it happened, the person introducing the letter did have an idea, but they left it as an open offer and invited the other improviser to open it and read it.
When they did, the letter said: “We’re watching you.”
Using Letters in Improv Scenes: How to Play Them
Letters are great. They advance the story, add dramatic tension, and they’re quite romantic, really. They’re also a fun way for improvisers to gently goad each other.
“I’ve written you something; read it out.”
“Here’s a poem.”
“Read the inscription.”
Getting someone to read something out loud in improv is always a fun move. But beyond that, it can also be really beautiful. Letters are one of many improv narrative devices, alongside things like edits and narration, that help shape how a scene unfolds.
Here are a few ways letters tend to be used:
You read the letter yourself
Someone hands you a letter, and you open it and read it aloud. This is great if you have an idea you want to convey, essentially speaking as another character through the letter.
You hand the letter over
“Here’s a letter: can you read it?”
This gives your fellow improviser the choice. It can be a playful challenge, but it can also be a generous offer: you’re not telling them their story, you’re letting them define it.
The theatrical version
A lovely way to see letters handled is when a character reads silently, and the writer of the letter is voiced by someone else offstage. This is especially powerful when it’s an ancestor, a long-lost love, or someone who’s passed away, you hear their voice from beyond the grave.
It’s even more effective if there’s a handover: the character starts reading, and the disembodied voice takes over midway—ideally even mid-word.
What If We Never Hear the Letter?
Another option is that the character reads the letter silently and reacts.
We might never hear what’s in it, but we see the emotional response. Or even better, we see the reaction now, and only discover the contents later in the narrative.
Reading Things That Aren’t There
Seeing a letter used in class recently reminded me how fun “reading” in improv is generally. There’s a lovely game with the audience: they can see there’s no actual text; no book, no sign, nothing written, but we all agree it’s there. Inviting someone to read something out loud is also a great way to make them an expert. Instead of not knowing what to say, they’re stepping into a position where they do know. A subtle but powerful move.
And If You Don’t Want to Read It…
Of course, if someone hands you a letter and says, “Read it,” you don’t have to.
You can pass the responsibility:
“I don’t have my glasses.”
“I can’t read this handwriting.”
“I don’t understand this dialect.”
That said, audiences probably don’t want to watch improvisers argue about whether to read a letter.
So instead, you might:
- Read it a word at a time
- Read it together in unison
So, a short and very specific thought: letters, postcards, and any kind of imaginary text are a surprisingly rich tool in improv.
They can build tension, invite collaboration, create theatrical moments, and they’re just plain fun to play with.
Letters are a small but powerful example of how improv narrative devices can shape story, tension, and perspective, while still keeping things playful.