Spider and Fly

In this archetype, two players play the spider and the fly. In the scene, the spider spins a web that will (at the end of the scene) capture the fly. The fly is naive and innocent enough to be captured by the spider.

Characters

The Spider: dangerous, malevolent, superior
The Fly: naive, innocent

Making It Work

When instantiating this archetype, it is essential that the two improvisers agree on how the spider is going to catch the fly. Most of the time, the spider will spin the web—determining how the fly will be caught. The fly must help the spider establish the web and then get caught in it. There is a natural reaction of improvisers to turn this scene into a battle of wits, where either character can "win." This is not the case. There is a clear winner—the spider. It is the job of the fly to get captured. It is the job of the spider to win convincingly.