The hat game

Rules: Two players put on hats of approximately equal dimension, preferably with wide brims, and play a scene. The scene ends when:

1. a player successfully grabs a hat off their opponent's head (WIN), or
2. a player grabs for the hat and misses (LOSS).

• The hat must be grabbed. Knocking the hat off the head counts as a grab and miss.
• You may protect the hat.
• Don't talk about the hats.
• Don't justify why you're grabbing the hat.
• The audience wants to see the hat game, not the scene. It's fine for the scenes to be a few seconds long.
• The game is not interesting if the players stay farther than arms length apart. Play close.
• Johnstone notes that successful players never retreat. They hold their ground or move forward, often tempting their partner to make a hasty grab.
• Have beginners practice the hat grab slowly, to avoid spastic eye gouges and clouts to the ears.
• In TheatreSports, often played best out of three. Each hat may win 3 points, or the game may be a toss up challenge.
• The game is about mindfulness. You must play the improvised scene, yet be intently aware of what's going on.
• Variation on this mindfulness challenge: Bum Tag. The player who touches the other's behind first wins.