RUEN

Lotus

A long-form for three performers who rotate in pairs, telling three connected stories across three rounds — essentially a Harold stripped to its 3×3 scene grid with no group games in between.

Players

3

Duration

20-30 min

Difficulty

Intermediate

Host

Yes

Full description

Setup and Launch

You need exactly three performers (A, B, C) and an open stage. Before you begin, explain the structure: the three will work in three rotating pairs — A-B, B-C, and C-A. Each pair will play the beginning, middle, and end of their story in turn. Lotus is essentially a stripped-down Harold — three sets of three scenes with no group games in between — so the scenes themselves carry all the weight.

Transitions between pairs happen on a clear signal. Common options: an offstage clap, a front wipe (someone walks between the performers and the audience), a finger snap, or the coach's call. With each new pair, performers take on fresh characters (like in Freeze), but each pair continues its own single story arc.

One spatial option: divide the stage into three distinct playing areas, one per pair. This helps the audience track which story they are watching and gives performers a physical anchor for each world.

Flow

1. Round 1: Beginnings

The first pair (A and B) steps to center and starts their story. On the signal, A exits and C enters. The second pair (B and C) begins their own story — each new scene should evolve out of the dynamics of the previous one: pick up a theme, an emotion, or a situation that just surfaced and spin it into something new. After the next signal, B exits and A returns — now pair C-A starts the third story. No dead stage: the incoming pair should start the moment the wipe happens.

2. Round 2: Middles

The cycle repeats: pair A-B returns and develops their story to its midpoint. Each pair plays out the middle of their story in turn, always responding to the transition signal immediately. Characters from Round 1 return — this is where the audience starts seeing the three worlds deepen.

3. Round 3: Endings

Each pair finishes their story with a final scene. The last ending should echo the very first beginning, closing the loop. By now the stories may weave together — a line, object, or idea from one pair's world pops up in another's. All transitions must be crisp, and each story should feel distinct yet connected through the shared performers.

Key rules

  • Match energy on transitions — Enter the scene with the same physicality and emotion the exiting performer carries out. The person who stays onstage is the bridge between worlds — follow their lead.

  • Build distinct pair stories — Each pair owns its own story, but all three stay connected through shared performers and recurring themes. Let each new scene evolve out of the dynamics of the previous one.

  • Hit the signal instantly — React to the clap, wipe, or snap the moment it happens. No dead stage: the incoming pair starts talking as soon as the wipe lands. Any delay breaks the rhythm and the audience's trust.

  • Commit to fresh characters — Like in Freeze: replace the exiting performer cleanly, with a new body, new voice, new status. Don't reference their previous character, or the three story lines blur.

  • Build toward a closed loop — The final scene must echo the very first beginning — a line, an image, a callback. That's what gives the whole form its sense of completion and makes the audience feel the cycle land.

  • Keep beats short — Aim for roughly two minutes per beat. Nine scenes need to fit in 20-30 minutes, so if one runs long, the rest get squeezed and the form loses shape.

Format structure

Context

Resources

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