Number of players: 4 Tags: Performance, exercise, character
When: This is a game we do in performances, and it is a moderately hard exercise
Overview: Three players are experts in a field chosen by the audience. The fourth player is the moderator of the panel and the host of the show where this panel is presented.
Introduction: "We are going to see a panel of experts. What is their topic of expertise."
Details: This is a character exercise. When the topic is selected, the three players who are the experts must select a character that fits the topic. It does not matter whether the player has any personal experience in the selected topic, their character is the expert, and whatever they say is the opinion of an expert in the field.
The moderator must define the show that’s hosting this panel, as well as the format. For instance, it could be a radio show that has a different topic week to week. Or it could be a TV show that regularly deals with this topic, etc. The player will be the host for that show.
The moderator introduces themselves and the show, and then allows each expert to introduce themselves. Each expert tells their name, and how they are an expert in the field. After the introductions, the moderator can ask a couple of questions to the panel, either about the topic or about something that came up in the introductions. After one or two questions from the moderator, the audience is then prompted to ask questions to the expert panel, either to the whole group or directed to a particular expert.
It’s important to play this recognizing that experts in any field would know other experts in the field. So all of these experts probably have some history, including professional disagreements, rivalries, romances, and personal grudges. Play that in the introductions and when responding to questions.
Variation: The moderator introduces the first expert, endowing that player with a name and a title. The player then fills out the rest of the introduction, saying a couple things about their history. The moderator goes on to introduce each of the other experts who also expand upon their histories.