Scenes from a Hat
1988-present
Also known as Scenes in a Hat
Host reads audience-submitted scene titles from a hat; players jump in and perform 3-5 second takes until the host buzzes them off.
Known for
- The most-played game in the American Whose Line Is It Anyway?; appears every season.
- UK version allowed one response per suggestion; US version allows multiple and runs until host moves on.
- Premium format for quick-wit performers (Greg Proops, Colin Mochrie) because there is no long scene to build — just a concept and an exit.
- Audience submissions are collected before taping in a hat/bowl; producers often pre-screen for show flow.
Connected to
Troupes
whose line
Forms
Concepts
short form
Notes
Mechanic: minimal setup, maximum number of distinct premises per minute. Teaches commitment to a single joke/image and clean exits. Often used at the top of Whose Line episodes to warm the audience.