The Most Interesting Person Exercise

Who is the most interesting person you know? Who is the most interesting person your dad knows? Who is the most interesting person your boss knows? It could be a specific story, a whole history or a certain personality trait. That’s the interesting thing about being interesting – it’s never going to be the same quality across the board.

This exercise takes a look at the question “What makes a person interesting?” and explores it in a theatrical context. After your students question someone about their most interesting person, they’re going to dramatize that person in a monologue.

The more students can hone in on the specifics of “being interesting”, the easier it will be for them to write interesting characters.

Exercise

1. First, pick a person. The only rule is that it can’t be a classmate or someone your own age. Consider talking to a parent, a relative, a teacher, your boss, a neighbour, a family friend.
2. Ask that person the question: ‘Who is the most interesting person you know?’ The answer could be someone they know currently, or someone they knew growing up.
3. Get the basic details on this person: What do they look like? What did they sound like? The more you know, the more you’ll be able to visualize this person.
4. Get the details on what makes this person interesting: is there a specific story related to this person? Is it their everyday behaviour? Make sure you write it down.
5. Based on what you know, write a monologue in the voice of this person.
1. Decide who they’re talking to.
2. Decide where they are when they give their monologue.
3. Decide the one thing they want to share with the person they’re talking to.
4. Decide their emotional state.
6. Once the monologues are complete, divide students into small groups and have them read the monologues aloud.
7. Afterward, have students write a reflection on the exercise. What was it like to learn about an “interesting person?” Do you think the person was interesting? Why or why not? What was it like to try and write a monologue for this person? What was it like to hear other monologues on this topic? Which one did you like best and why?

Bonus
After everyone writes their monologue, have them prepare a presentation. They have to perform their monologue, in character with full costume and props.