Some Thoughts on Improv
(from periodic pre/post-workshop emails to participants)
11/19
Clearly there are many approaches to improv. For me, it boils down to play, with an orientation toward theater rather than, though not completely separate from, comedy. If funny comes, great. If it doesn't, also great.
The core being striving for heightened moments of authenticity. Heightened because that's why we perform/watch, to experience something we don't experience everyday. If one is drinking a cup of coffee on stage, what else is going on, internally or externally? Authentic because when we believe ourselves in whatever character develops, so much rich ground is laid out for us, our scene partners, and the audience.
I see the gateway to this being character, heavily supported by the other key elements of relationship, place, objective/why, etc. Just as we see in all performance mediums, characters can be subtle or wild, always with an aim toward authenticity. As Stella Adller wrote and was fond of bellowing while pounding her desk (as seen in videos of her teaching) - acting comes from the soul, not the words.
To get there, we need to develop practices that minimize our self-consciousness and fear.
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12/10
So much exceptional creation by you all. Some of the many areas:
Explored/created the space
Rich characters
Being moved/changed
Risk
Playful
Space objects
Some encouragements:
Make it deeply personal to your character.
Discover/revel in characteristics of your character.
Continue to explore the space.
Be malleable (based on new feelings that arise in you/reactions from your scene partner).
Volume (while keeping it authentic).
Embrace quiet moments if they come as opportunities to delve deeper into how you feel/what's bubbling.
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1/7
- Make choices that delight you, be they light/heavy, subtle/extreme. You, your scene partners, and the audience will feed off of it.
- Develop the where (closet, stove, swimming pool, bar, cave, cliff, ...).
- Explore the stage.
- Having a developed where and exploring the space fosters action and intention (find a sweater in the closet, put on the tea kettle, balance on the end of the diving board ...) which can be a great source of fuel.
- Play.
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1/21
-Discover/revel in the nuances of your character.
- Trust "hits" that come to you. While sometimes they may be fully formed ideas, often they're just the germ of an idea, an impulse. Act on them. Be willing to open your mouth without knowing fully what you're going to say. Trust that the hit is rooted in feeling and thereby will likely add something meaty to build on. At the least, the practice fosters the clearing out of the conduit between heart, brain, and mouth, which societal forces are so efficient at clogging up.
- If you find yourself in interpersonal conflict that feels shallow (e.g. banal bickering), raise the stakes (make it life or death, be deeply moved, confess/reveal something, ...).Resending the two clips below from A Phantom Thread that, for me, show the potential for delight in interpersonal conflict.
- Explore the stage.
- Develop the where.
Clips:
https://youtu.be/fn5dXUu_qxM?si=HxiCfMzGNvzv3Wjc
https://youtu.be/YWKMH6ssnzg?si=afQb6FHKHrzeH-Mu
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1/22
- Referencing people who aren't on stage can be interesting and add to the picture/story. With that said, a common trap is focusing too heavily on someone who isn't there. If that starts to happen, bring it back to and make it personal for you and your scene partner.
- If you feel locked in place, make the choice to move. That can be driven by a hit as simple as "I need to move" in which case, you don't need to know all the particulars right away but can develop the intention while moving or when you get somewhere new physically. Just as an example, the unfolding could be something along the lines of: I'm going to cross the stage. I'm going to reach down and open a drawer. It's my dresser (we're in my bedroom). I'm looking for my grandmother's engagement ring. ...
- A tenet of Groundlings training is two people up and the scene starts with each person doing some activity, each periodically looking at the other, then eventually talking. It's a great way to set a foundation based on action which can be a powerful source for informing everyone (including the audience).
- Offers. Be a creator of and have a voracious appetite for receiving and acting on offers. Offers can be about you, your scene partner, your relationship, environmental forces, etc. Try not to let offers go unrecognized (they can be full of rich opportunities and the audience sees them all). With that in mind, be aware of not loafing up too many offers (as they say at BATS, the first offer is usually the best). An example of this might be something like: Person A: "I love what you've done to your place." That's a great opening to delve into what the space looks/feels like, why you've done what you've done, what person A likes about it (and why), etc. As opposed to person B then saying: "Thanks. I heard you're going back to school.", etc.
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1/29
- Let emotion drive you. It's fine to "concoct" emotion just to prime the pump but let it sink in so it becomes true/authentic - that's when it can truly change your character and your scene partner.
- Reveal something deeply personal about your character. For the other person(s), let it land and affect you before responding/reacting.
- Cross the stage or make some other significant location change. Great if you have a clear hit before moving but if not, let the reason/motivation come as you move/when you arrive someplace new.
-Start doing something (any space object work) - and really commit to it, with close attention to every detail. No need to talk about what you're doing as that takes away from the personal dynamic between you and your scene partner.
- Be aware of not putting too much focus on people who aren't present. When in doubt, bring it back to you and your scene partner and make it personal to your character.
- Stop talking and get physical - bring it back to your body.
- Expand the story via the "and" in yes/and or no/and.
- Something compelling just happened on the fourth wall - what was it?
- This is less concrete, but I think powerful in an overarching way: You're the playwright; what do you want to create? There's no limit, so might as well go for something that thrills you in some way (subtle or big).
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2/18
I was recently introduced to the notion of being curious about one's character. Really like that concept as a prompt for delving into the specifics and nuances of a character (physical/mental/emotional/vocal ...), while navigating not being in one's head.
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2/24
Thought I'd pass on some ideas in the form of "The 11 Points" which Groundlings instructor Holly Mandel distributed on a business card so they could be kept handy:
EASE
LISTENING
YES AND (No Judgement)
CHARACTER DRIVEN INFO AND BEHAVIOR
FORTHCOMING-NESS
NOT GRINDING AND ALLOWING EMERGENCE
PRESENT AND WILLING TO PIVOT
LOGIC
WE>ME
COMMITMENT
PLAY & HAVE FUN