Read the Face
Nine feelings on screen. One person shows one with their face only. Everyone calls the number.
The screen shows nine feelings, numbered. One person silently picks a number and shows that feeling with their face only, and the room calls out which number they think it is — all at once. Because everyone knows the shortlist the guessing is sharper and funnier, and it quietly makes the point that we read each other constantly and get it wrong.
The screen shows nine feelings, numbered. The performer picks one without saying it and shows it with their face only — no hands, no sounds. When the screen says so, everyone calls out the number they think it is, all at once.
Before anything about communication, empathy or reading a room — and any time you want something quiet with a real point.
Props: None
Run this when…
If none of these is your room, pick another.Before a session on communication or empathy
A group who work with customers or patients
A quiet activity after something loud
How to run it
Written to be glanced at mid-room, not memorised.
- The person nearest the screen is the first performer.
- They pick a number from the nine on screen and don't say it.
- They show that feeling with their face only for five seconds.
- Everyone calls out a number at once. The performer says theirs, and the room sees how many got it.
- The next performer is one seat to the left. The last round switches to nine harder feelings.
- At the end, ask how often the room was right — it is usually less than people expect.
Running it well
Only the host sees these. Participants never do.
- Face only is the whole rule. Hands and shoulders make it easy and the activity stops teaching anything.
- Everyone calling at once is what makes it honest. Taking guesses one by one lets the room copy whoever went first.
- Keep a rough tally of how many got it each round, so the closing line — we're wrong more than we think — has a number behind it.
Watch out for
Space, safety and the traps worth knowing before you start.
- Performing in front of a room is exposing. Keep the turns to twenty seconds and use volunteers rather than picking people.
- Nobody moves and nothing is physical, so the only care needed is not leaving anyone up there too long.
Already seated
Nobody has to stand for this one.
Entirely seated. In a large room ask the volunteer to stand so their face is visible, or run it in small groups at tables.
On a video call
The cards work as they are. This is what changes about how you call it.
Plainly better on a call — a face fills the frame, which is the whole activity. Spotlight the performer, keep the nine on the shared screen, and take numbers in the chat so everyone answers at once rather than the three loudest.
Run it yourself
Free for thirty days, no card. Put it on the projector and step through it — nobody in the room needs a phone.
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- Where
- Remote or in person
- Props
- None
- Big screen
- Required
- Teams
- Individual only