Mixed Messages: Communication Exercise for Drama Students

A mixed message is when someone communicates two conflicting ideas at the same time, making it unclear what they really mean.

This can happen through:

• Words vs. actions (saying one thing, “I’ll be there on time” but doing another, like showing up an hour late)
• Tone vs. content (sounding upset while saying “I’m fine”)
• Verbal vs. nonverbal cues (saying “I’m fine” but crossing your arms defensively)

Mixed messages are an interesting concept for students to explore in their scene and character work. Sometimes we want a character to present a mixed message! Use this exercise with students to explore mixed messages and what they communicate.

Instruction:

1. Start the exercise with a discussion. What is a mixed message? What does it look like and sound like? 

2. Share that mixed messages happen when someone communicates two or more conflicting ideas at the same time, making it unclear what they really mean. 

3. Demonstrate, or have volunteers demonstrate these examples of a mixed message using the sentence “I’m so happy for you!”

1. 1. Words vs. action (saying one thing but doing another)
   2. Tone vs. content (sounding upset while saying something positive) 
   3. Verbal vs. nonverbal cues (body language contradicts words)

4. Continue the discussion. Have your students ever been on the receiving end of a mixed message? How did the message come across? Give your own example of receiving a mixed message. 

5. Ask students: How would playing a mixed message add to a scene or a character?

6. Now students are going to try this for themselves. Divide students into pairs and tell them to decide who is Partner A and who is Partner B.

7. Instruct the pairs that they are going to start a scene. Everyone will go at the same time. Partner A will start the scene with the line: “Hey! It’s great to see you.” Coach them to be sincere with their vocal tone and their physicality. They are happy to see the other person. Tell students to continue the scene from the first line and continue to have their vocal tone and physicality mirror the first line. 

8. Instruct the pairs to switch. Now Partner B is going to start the scene with the line: “Hey! It’s great to see you.” This time, Partner B is going to send a mixed message and that is going to inform the rest of the scene. 

9. Ask students to decide on their mixed message: Since the words are positive, something has to be negative. They can choose a vocal contrast. They can choose a physical contrast. Have them do the scene for a minute.

10. See if there is a group that will volunteer to try it out in front of the class. 

11. Discuss the exercise. How did it feel to be on the receiving end of a mixed message? Was it frustrating? Why or why not? How did it change the scene? What was being communicated? How do mixed messages affect communication?

12. Ask students to think about how presenting a mixed message might be useful in a theatrical context. What would it be like to be a character who delivers mixed messages? Can they think of a character in a play they’ve studied who presents mixed messages?