By genre and group size: A must-see for organizers! A catalog of crowd-pleasing activities
There are many occasions where you’re asked to put on a performance, like at wedding after-parties, year-end parties, New Year’s gatherings, and thank-you parties.
We often hear concerns from those in charge of entertainment, such as: “I can’t think of an idea,” or “What kind of act would everyone enjoy together?”
Key points for choosing are: something short and concise, enjoyable for all ages and genders, simple and easy to understand, and not vulgar.
In this article, we’ll introduce recommended entertainment ideas that meet the above criteria.
Wishing you a successful performance and a lively, memorable event!
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[By genre and group size] A must-see for organizers! A catalog of crowd-pleasing acts (41–50)
Tongue Twister Contest
Let’s get everyone excited by hosting a tongue twister contest, a game that kids and adults alike can enjoy! It’s wonderfully retro and simple—no props to prepare, no need for extra space—and it’s perfect for everyone, from little children to older adults.
Tongue twisters that everyone can play together are the best.
Let’s try classics that have been around for ages as well as some that are a bit more challenging.
If you search for “tongue twisters,” you’ll find plenty of examples to use as reference!
two-person robe (Nininbaori): a comedic act where two people share one kimono-like garment, with the rear person acting as the arms for the front person
When it comes to classic party acts that have been around forever, it’s got to be the two-person haori routine.
Two people wear a single haori: the person in front shows their face, while the other reaches their hands around from the back so they look like one person.
They do all sorts of things in that setup, but the standard is food-related.
The person in back tries to feed the person in front, but since they can’t see where the mouth is, it usually turns into a complete disaster.
Another recommendation is makeup! The person in back does the makeup on the person in front’s face—this also turns into a hilarious disaster and really gets the crowd going.
Broom Balance
As the name suggests, it’s a game where you balance a broom upright on the palm of your hand.
You compete to see who can keep it up the longest.
It looks easy when you watch someone else do it, but when you try it yourself, it’s surprisingly difficult.
You don’t get many chances to play broom balancing as an adult, but precisely because it’s nostalgic, it really gets people excited.
comedy sketch
We’re in an unprecedented comedy boom.
Watching TV, it feels like there isn’t a single show without a comedian on it! For those who can spare even a little practice time, I recommend doing sketches.
If you have three people, that means a trio sketch.
For absurdist laughs, how about Jungle Pocket’s “Stretchers”? If you want something more brainy, Tokyo 03’s sketches are great.
If your team includes a quiet type, you could try sketches in the style of the Seventh Generation’s Yonsentoushin—the more you mumble, the funnier it gets! If you’re worried because, after all, you’re amateurs, then how about Panther’s high-energy material? And if you get stuck, you can probably get by with Ogata’s gag: “Thank you!!”
Impromptu Dubbing Contest
How about planning and enjoying “dubbing” (voice-over improv), which is also used as a final-round prompt on the hit show IPPON Grand Prix? All you need is a TV or projector and a movie DVD to dub over, and you can start right away.
The key to this idea is how cleverly you can swap in funny lines where professional voice actors would normally deliver proper dialogue.
Sometimes spontaneous, off-the-cuff lines are funnier than ones you’ve prepared for days.
There are YouTubers who stream their own dubbing videos, so be sure to check them out for inspiration!
Guess the childhood photo quiz
If you met as adults, you probably don’t know each other’s childhoods.
In that case, this quiz is perfect for getting to know each other better! Comments like “So that’s what you were like back then” or “I can still see the resemblance here” will surely liven up the conversation.
Challenge the Guinness World Records
Lately on the year-end NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen, singer Hiroshi Miyama has been attempting a “kendama Guinness record.” I get so curious about the Guinness record that I end up forgetting the main act—like, “Huh? What song did he even sing…?” As for Guinness records you can try at a party-trick level, there’s “the number of pencils stood upright in one minute.” The world record is 55.
Another one that could get the crowd going is “how many coins you can stack on your face in one minute.” By the way, the world record is 57—amazing! As a gag, it might be fun to have someone dressed sharply in a suit, like a “serious Olympic official,” stand next to you while you’re attempting the Guinness record.
The person playing the official absolutely must not laugh.