play-act

 

verb

[no object]
  • act in a play: we’ve made a craft of play-acting
  • [with object] act (a scene, role, etc.): they were play-acting a western duel
  • (usually as noun play-acting) engage in histrionic pretence: the defender indulged in some play-acting after tumbling to the ground

Derivatives

play-actor

noun