Improvoker

For all the credit I give Mick Napier and his excellent book Improvise, learning the rules of improv as taught by Del Close in Truth In Comedy is a necessity. Mick teaches a far more organic form of Improv that, while being a great addition to Del’s teachings pushing forward an improviser stuck in a rut, it’s major failing is if you aren’t following the ground rules in improv chances are your scenes will suffer.

Recently this point was dramatically driven home in a practice group I led, where our coach was unfortunately detained at work. No one was really prepared to lead the practice group, and it showed. We scrambled to fill our two hour practice session with warm up games and scenework. However, because we are so used to the side-coaching of our coach scenes spiraled quickly out of control. The more scenes we did, the more unruly they became. We attempted a few 2nd beat scenes punctuated by free-for-all group games. Scenes went on way too long, without going anywhere and were ultimately were mercy edited.

It was a mess.

I noticed during the practice, that my mind was systematically categorizing each move and dissecting the problems inherent in each one. It was like I was being side coached by my own mind (who’s voice sounded remarkably similar to my current improv instructor Chris Gethard). What became painfully apparent is that the problems in the scenes were in direct relation to improvisers not following the basic ground rules of improv.

• Agreement - Yes And
• No Questions
• Being present (it’s about you and the other improviser)
• Show don’t tell
• Define who you are
• Define where you are
• Group games should have a clear game
• It’s not about the thing, it’s about you
• Explore, don’t invent
• Support your teammates - Don’t pimp
• Have an opinion in the scene
• Wear your characters like a thin veil (be yourself, be real)
• Etc, Etc.

Although the practice group kind of sucked, it is the purpose of practice to work through those issues and get them out so you’re not sucking on stage. It is each improvisers duty to reflect on scenes and see what went well and what didn’t. Only through observation and “checking in”, as Mick Napier puts it, can we begin to refine our skills as improvisers.

And ultimately not suck… Ultimately.