#100 Pieces of improv wisdom
100 pieces of improv wisdom from 100 different improvisers.
Issue #100 Pieces of improv wisdom
7th February 2024
Wow!
One hundred issues without missing a week.
I'm so grateful for this art form and for this community.
Please find below 100 pieces of improv wisdom from 100 different improvisers.
Even as I write this, more are coming in, so I'll keep an updated archive at this handy shareable link.
100 Pieces of Improv Wisdom
I have learned through my years of improvising that there are innumerable styles of improv and that it is not a one size fits all situation. Rather than teach people your way of doing improv, nurture their unique way so we can all benefit from a diverse culture of improvisational joy.
Jon Nguyen, Norwich, UK. The Comediasians.You are enough. Breathe. Look the other person in the eyes. Listen like you care. Take your time. Don't judge yourself or anybody else. Dare to be truthful. Just go with it and you'll find it together. All improv teachings are tools not rules, at the end of the day - it's just making stuff up! As Lee Terrell says You can't control the sea, only learn to swim in it.
Lisa Lynn, London, UK. Acaprov, Hoopla, Hell Yeah! Southend48thon.I learned that the scene hasn’t started until the moment you make eye contact with the other player. I learned that improv began with Viola Spolin, to help displaced people. For me, improv is worshipping the absurdity of life, and a form of love for the audience, to reflect our wild lives.
Rebecca Riisness, Prague, Czechia. Script for Brains, The Imperfectionists.Play with people who make you laugh. Treat everything like a gift. There are no mistakes, only happy accidents. Make your scene partner look good and hop on their idea. Spend less time critiquing, both your work and others, and more time playing. Quickly leave situations that aren't for you.
Jay Sukow, Los Angeles, USA.If I can give one bit of advice to the young improv Lena: Have fun on stage. And if you don´t have fun, don´t try to change the others. Instead try to find the fun together with your stage partners. It was Matt Higbee from the iO who taught me that: If you want to have fun, go get it!
Lena Breuer, Cologne, Germany. Impro Köln.Here’s the wisdom I wish I had heard earlier in my improv journey. It’s from Jim Libby. Not everyone warms up in the same way. Games like Whoosh Bang Pow are great and work for some, but others just need eye contact and a check-in. Find what works for you and do that instead of forcing yourself into some “ideal warm-up”.
Kiki Hohnen, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Helmet Thieves.My advice to myself starting out would be: Stop trying so hard! The more you relax and trust, the better the improv will be (and the more fun you will have!)
Fred Deakin, London, UK. Project2.“Kill your babies”. I don’t remember who said it, but you can ruin a good scene with an excellent idea, introduced at the wrong time. It is better to drop the best idea than to force it into a scene where it’s not appropriate.
Jason Blackwater. Currently Orlando, Florida, USA. Formerly Brighton, UK and a member of The Maydays.Improv - the closest thing to the playtime that I had as a child. Exciting, nurturing, exploring, supportive, joyful, laughing and above all, huge fun. Like some directed playtime with current and new friends; the time goes so fast, that when that metaphorical bell goes, I can’t wait for the next one!
Geoff Rolls, Hersham, UK. The Pretend Company.I’ve been lucky to have had Billy Merritt as a teacher many times and he’s the one who appears to me as a force ghost whenever I’m stuck in scenes. Particularly his “Why here? Why today?”. It reminds me to make bold, interesting choices. The audience are peeking into the characters' lives. Let’s give them something worth witnessing.
Laura, Glasgow, UK. Yer Da.Improv has made me a better conversationalist. It taught me that discussions are not competitions. Let us talk for a while about one person’s idea or story instead of attempting to top someone's contribution or changing subjects. It is an excellent opportunity to learn something new.
Brendan, London, UK. The Parentheticals.For me, Improv has endless possibilities to explore and play, it’s forever growing and evolving. It has a positive application in so many parts of my life. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Avril Poole, London, UK. Ladyprov. Improvised Play. Blend Off. Moments in Time.The great thing improv has taught me is to get out of my head (making plans for scenes) and into my body (be affected by and just respond to my partner). This has had a huge effect on my life and work.
Joe Friedman, London, UK. Scumbags cast member.i) Being “consciously incompetent” can be a good thing.
ii) 19 year old boys aren’t experts in improv.
iii) Ultimately I think improv has led me to become a more liberated performer and a more confident human.
iv) Improv is freedom and connection.
Charlie Vero-Martin, London, UK.Be kind, not polite.
I don’t remember who first told me this, but it’s stayed with me and is the main bit of advice my students tend to resonate with and remember too. It’s easy to conflate these two behaviours, but they are actually very different. Polite waits for someone to finish their scene before you start a new one, but Kind edits on a high point leaving the audience wanting more and the players with plenty to play with later. Polite lets other people set the scene, in case your idea will jarr with theirs, but Kind brings something strong immediately so that you both have something to play with and your partner isn’t responsible for your choices as well as their own. Polite doesn’t want to disrupt the action and leans back, Kind actively looks for opportunities to support the action.
Jennifer Jordan, London, UK. Somewhat Theatre.Best bit of advice I've received that's helped me keep out of my own head was on a course with Lola Rose Maxwell. She just said to me, "Don't write the character, just be the character." (I'm still working on it.)
Noel Curry, Leeds, UK.I was lucky to learn early the value of keeping your scene environment in mind. It's always a source of ideas, and exploring it adds real depth and immersion. It doesn't have to be about crazy physicality - a little light object work or activity is all you need.
David Raitt, Toronto, Canada.The essence of improv for me is ... do new things. That's literally it (except it's not, because I'm still typing).
Benefits of doing new things: Discovering skills you never knew you had, pushing yourself, proactively avoiding boredom, staying motivated, being rewarded with a steady stream of new accomplishments.
Mark Fitzhenry, Prague, Czechia. The Imperfectionists.You'll meet people you really like spending time with. You're automatically weirdly vulnerable in improv so it moves a friendship very fast and the first people that you meet might not be the best ones, but you'll get there, and it will be great.
And also, beginners improv is hilarious when you've moved up, because it's so weirdly enjoyable to play games with grown ups and not feel silly about it, but I look back and go, I got taught how to clap - but I had a brilliant time doing it.
It's so much fun to now watch an improv show and see secret stage craft or tricks I recognise, whereas before it was legitimately funny but now I can appreciate it more.
Anon.Improv is not all about the laughs, it is also about taking the audience on adventures. It is about using the power of storytelling to bring them to different worlds, and doing it without any props or costumes but with emotions, characters and imagination. (Advice received as a teenager)
Astrid Marion, Farnham, UK. The Pretend Company.Your foot is smarter than your brain.
Mary Adams, Denver, USA. AndAlso Improv.Breathe.
On stage, I sometimes get very talkative, as well as nervous in my movements. My thoughts are going faster than my body or words can keep up. Taking the time to breathe in deep, breathe out deep before saying anything else, can give myself and my fellow players time to take a moment to see what happens next. And a good, dramatic silence never did anyone any harm.
Jeroen du Chatinier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Flock Theatre.A tip I got when I first started doing shows (and was really quite nervous) is: set yourself one small, achievable goal to focus on. Something tiny, like entering a scene that feels like it needs help, making a helpful offer and leaving. This stopped me worrying about the nerves and turned my focus to just being supportive.
Anthony Egan, London, UK. The Pilot.80% of any story is the protagonist NOT getting their goal. 80% of a love story is the lovers NOT getting together. 80% of a murder mystery is NOT solving the murder. Etc.
Gerry Byrne, UK.Don't run past the playground. i.e don't ignore offers and fun things because you're too busy ticking improv boxes or just in your own head.
Chris McNally, Glasgow, UK. Yer Da.Play scenes, characters, object work that you like and it will be fun. Or in other words: only take inspirations that actually inspire you.
Valerian Stöger, Vienna, Austria. Spielfunk.Not stepping onstage having plotted everything already, not writing it, not gripping too hard to control: look at my first step, enter, discover what's there. Trust that my skills, experience and scene partner(s) are my parachute: Jump out of the plane and figure it out on the way down.
Tom Mathias, London, UK.It is like Adam and Eve. We get to love, revel, to name the animals, bite the apple and get our comeuppance.
Andrew Hefler, Budapest, Hungary.If you've come in three times as a giant sentient penis and nobody has been moved to tag-in to further develop the character of the giant sentient penis, then perhaps this is a sign that we've heard enough from the giant sentient penis for today.
Angus Dunican, London, UK. Jack Left Town.Improv has quite literally changed my life. Starting it gave me the impetus to leave my job and start my own business.
Nearly 2 years later no regrets.
Karen Cruickshank, Godalming, UK. The Pretend Company.A way improv has changed my life: meeting like-minded people, and people totally different to me, whom I can still share a creative bond with. It's all about connection!
Sorraiya Nawaz, Southend-on-Sea, UK.Clunky and clear over smooth and obscure by Parallelogramophonograph was revolutionary! My team Doris Likes Everything leans on this wisdom heavily, it sort of freed us to find the style of improv that made us happy. It’s also fabulous advice for everyday life. I think of it almost every day.
Ulla Oksanen, Finland. Doris Likes Everything. JadaJada improv.Borrowed and adapted for improvisation from Alan Alda. It’s my favorite among a good handful about listening:
Listening is the willingness to change, you don’t have to but the magic of the character connection usually happens during the willingness.
Joe Bill, Chicago, USA. Annoyance. BassProv.I loved learning to keep it real, say the obvious thing, show people who know and like other, and not jump to conflict. But I struggled to know how that might produce narrative. I now think: We could have seen these people on many days. Why are we putting TODAY on stage? What happened to make it special?
Peter Wilson, UK. Hoopla M.O.B. Birmingham Maestro.Austentatious performed at our theatre. Amazing improvisers in one of the best shows in the world. Cariad Lloyd wrote two post-it notes as improv reminders to put at the front of the stage. The show was amazing and I wondered what could be written on them. One said Listen, the other said Yes And.
Steve Roe, London, UK. Hoopla Impro.Get onstage to love, not to be loved (Deto Montenegro, my theater teacher who used improvisation as a methodology). This guides me together with my parents saying You are someone! meaning that I matter and because of that I should do something when someone needs to step in.
Luana Proença, Brasília, Brazil/ Lisbon, Portugal.Trust your inner world. That which is boring for you (because you live with yourself in your head and you have yourself all the time) is gold, interesting, original, funny and surprising for other people.
Hila Di Castro, Israel. Woman Up. Momentum Improv.How improv has changed my life: It’s made me more of a genuine collaborator. Seeing the sheer kaleidoscope of creativity in an improv class; I truly internalised the value of diversity of opinion and ideas, and that’s really helped me professionally.
Laura Mead, Farnham, UK. The Pretend Company.When in doubt, simplify. When in joy, disrupt.
Anděl Sudik, The World.Life is improv. It's as simple as that. We take on different characters, different roles, or have different aims depending on the scenario we find ourselves in. We draw on our life experiences to move the scene along, to solve the problem or to bring everything to a conclusion. Relationships and conversations go well if we are kind and generous and support others to shine. And if something doesn't go as well as expected, don't beat yourself up about it. In life, as in improv, we are all on a journey and making it up as we go along.
Cathy Floyd, Farnham, UK. Potters Gate School. Space2grow.My whole life, I went looking for the laugh, the funny line. It's been that way since I was a schoolboy. It has stood me in good stead. Most of the time. Being the funny guy can also harm you too. The class-clown, the disruptor, doesn't take things seriously, a mocker, a resistor....
The most obvious form of humour, especially to kids, is to punch-down. To take the mickey. To target, well, easy targets. Sure, this can get a laugh. It can also draw detractors too.
Two years ago I began learning how to use comedy and then, perhaps more importantly I fell into Improv. The accept and build philosophy, the be-a-part-of not always the-centre-of tenet now resonates clearly with me.
Oh, how I wish I had this so-simple insight when I was a kid. How that could have shaped my attitudes to my own conduct. How I could have harnessed the Jester to be more influential rather than laughable.
I'm glad improv found me. It literally can be life-changing. Yours, and those around you.
Paul Spiers, UK. The Pretend Company.I think a way that improv has changed my life is enjoying every single mistake as an actual gift. Bringing this improv ethos into my daily life means that I don’t worry too much about the outcomes and enjoy the mess and the process!
Kiva Murphy, Barcelona, Spain. Barcelona Improv Group.The heart of all scenes are relationships, and emotions are the heart of all relationships. Comedy is the byproduct of the flaws of our lives. Speak from the heart, not the mouth.
Neil Curran, Dublin, Ireland. Neil +1.Two bits of advice. The first is Be interested in precision but not obsessed by it from Andrew Hefler. The second is Be patient on stage but don't hesitate from Gael Doorneweerd-Perry. I enjoy both statements and they made me think about our craft and my work. Also, you are never done with improv, once you think you understand it, you start from the beginning again. Truly magical - everybody can do it with anybody.
Manuel Speck, Karlsruhe, Germany. Improtheater Karlsruhe.You don't need to be an expert to book out someone's living room and play games. Even if you're pants at making plans, choose a date and just ask. In my experience, people love to be asked.
Ella Simms, London, UK.i) Patti Stiles and Will Hines' sage advice to me was You didn't listen.
ii) Emotional connection is the foundation of a good improv scene.
iii) My shoulders used to be constantly hunched before improv released the tension in me.
iv) The essence of improv is comedy jazz.
Liam Brennan, London, UK. Hoopla Impro. The Two Horseman.i) My wife (not an improviser) saw one of my early shows and told me to Let it breathe. She meant I didn’t need to fill the gaps in scenes with talk. Sometimes things need space ... to breathe.
ii) Making mistakes is where all the magic is so don’t try and be funny, clever or good just show up and play.
iii) I listen more now. I'm so much more flexible when life throws out curve balls and I've gotten great at remembering people’s names. I’ve also become a lot braver and less bothered about making mistakes.
iv) Improv is the powerful magic we are all born with that can build worlds, create life and fashion destinies. Sometimes it makes us laugh, sometimes cry but most importantly it is the magic that makes us feel. To me improv is the essence of the wonder that is being human.
David Brady, London, UK. Out of Character.i) If you look to the future, you miss the present. If you look to the present, the future takes care of itself. - Patti Stiles
ii) Go on stage and be average. Don't try your best because this means you don't think you're good enough. - Keith Johnstone
iii) You can walk out of any scene
iv) The essence of improv is finding something that creates a spark in your scene partner's eyes, and enjoying the beautiful, creative mess that comes out of both of you doing that.
Naomi Bowman, London, UK.Improv breaks free from perfectionism and self-doubt to be spontaneous, creative and collaborative. That's good shiiiitt.
Hollie Robertson, Southend-on-Sea, UK.I remember Cariad saying to me in an Improvathon Just get up there. I carry that into every show - just get up there, let your body lead, see what happens.
When I started, I had zero expectations or ambitions. It was just a drop-in, something different to do after work. Do I wish I’d known that it would completely change my life for the better, that I would meet my closest friends, travel, change careers, pursue acting properly, and meet my fiancé because of that first drop-in? Nah - it was all such a fun surprise!
That’s probably the essence of improv for me - it’s a really fun surprise.
Jinni Lyons, London, UK. Jinni Lyons is an Only Child. Yes Queens.Have fun. Sounds too obvious to mention but you can make the most technically dazzling improv format and if the performers aren’t having any fun then it’ll be a zombie-show. Having fun is what it feels like when you’re creatively free!
Andrew Gentilli, London, UK. The Inflatables. Music Box. BEINGS.The answer is always in the other person. Make your scene partner look amazing then you’ll look INCREDIBLE. Be everyone else’s Hype Person.
Emily Jane Kerr, London, UK. Notflix.It IS possible - as I have seen through the work of many excellent improv leaders - to work towards and create safe, and accessible spaces in an art form that is based on moment to moment interactions, there is hope. Hope for the future of comedy, performance-making, and humanity. This movement in improv inspires higher standards and 100 % better work.
Vera Chok, London, UK.There is scientific research that supports the impact of comedic improv. Researchers found that social laughter leads to a significant increase in endorphin release in regions in the brain that play a role in arousal and emotional awareness. Endorphins interact with opioid receptors in the brain to help relieve pain and trigger feelings of pleasure and togetherness. Confirming why improv is addictive!
Miki Manting, Florida, USA. Vintage Improv Festival.What does the scene need? Or even better, what does my co-performer need (the actor, not the character)? I am really grateful for the moment I starting asking myself these questions. I encourage you to do the same. And, at some point, you won't need to ask; the answer will be there already.
Carlos Moreno, Oslo, Norway. Improv Neuf.Be curious. Susan Messing, Bill Arnett, Noah Gregoropoulos and others at iO all underscored how important it is to be interested in other people and other ideas. Read non-fiction, ask questions, be excited to know more and have more to play with and relate to. Works great in life as well!
Colleen Doyle, Los Angeles, USA. Dummy.A couple of hours of improv is me time - an escape from work/life and Dad-of-teenagers pressures but also importantly in someone’s hands to have laughter and fun in such an easy way. There’s not even any pressure to be funny. We just are.
Roy Allaway, Guildford, UK. The Pretend Company.The essence of improv is the freedom to fail.
Andy Ashford, London, UK.There's no reason to ever be confused or lost on stage. If you are, crash through as many levels of reality as you need to, including asking the audience "What was my name?" We're all there to partake in an act of joyful creation, and the audience wants to help.
Roy Janik, Austin, USA. Parallelogramophonograph.Some feedback that I did not understand at first was Don't play emotions! Have them, or not, but do not fake them! from Sven Lanser. It sent me on a long, rewarding journey of Meisner, acting exercises and emotional truth.
Christof Schmidt, Vienna, Austria. ViennaImprov.The essence of improv is being here now actively listening and interacting with joy and a sense of play. Improv allowed me to bring interactive lightness and play into my daily life. Instincts are valid and may take time to logically explain. Kevin Miller advised being on the balls of your feet, leaning in from the sidelines physically ready to jump in at any moment. Game changer!
Jeremie Day-Glider, formally of Barcelona Improv Group, currently free range in Philadelphia, PA, USA.Improv is the nicest community of artists i’ve ever met. For reasons I’m not sure I can explain, non-judgment is baked into the process of improv. Perhaps something about having to work on a high wire (you’re present or you fall) seems to generate compassion. There’s nowhere to hide.
Dom Czapski, London, UK. Hoopla Impro.What I love about improv is that, to my eyes, it is fundamentally the art of noticing things and caring about them.
And surely that's what separates being alive from just existing?
Peter Rogers, Ottawa, Canada. The Improv Embassy.The biggest yes and isn’t one you say on stage, it’s the group you choose to be in. If the group you’re in doesn’t feel like a hell yes then it’s not the one for you - and that’s ok! Say yes to people who make you feel safe, supported and make you smile.
Sabrina Luisi, London, UK. Michelle Improv. Hoopla Impro.When starting improv, I genuinely thought that with lots of improv experience, you would start knowing exactly what to do. I imagined myself a decade later and finally understanding precisely which story beat would be next.
Nope, none of that. I just get more comfortable not knowing. (And that's much better)
Laura Doorneweerd-Perry, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Flock Theatre.The biggest thing I wish I knew when I started is that if things go wrong, you can’t just work harder, it’s better to relax and do what makes sense.
Rich Hilborn, Ottawa, Canada. Improv Embassy.Improv is like Schrödinger's cat. All states are true until one is uncovered. Then only that state is true.
Jochem Meijer, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.For me, the goal of improv is to stay 5 seconds ahead of the audience, and that 5 seconds is long enough to look like magic.
Craig Cackowski, Los Angeles, USA. World's Greatest Improv School.Don’t you dare worry about being funny, push it out of your very human head and think instead about having fun. What tickles you, what tickles the people you perform with. Give them and yourself a good time backstage and onstage. It’ll always pay off.
Kaci Beeler, Austin, USA. Parallelogramophonograph. The Hideout Theatre.Talk to each other about each other. Remember, you know each other and you like each other. Both make for great opening offers.
Mark Johnson, London, UK.i) To be understood is a gift; to understand is a choice.
ii) Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person they are almost indistinguishable.
(both by David Augsburger)
Tanine Dunais, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Flock Theatre.It’s great to get your fun from improv but foolish to get your value from it. Remember that you will always be capable of fun and that your value can’t be measured in what you do in any given show because you are more than your improv.
Lloydie James Lloyd, Nottingham, UK. Rhymes Against Humanity.A bit of teaching advice I received (from John Cremer).
When people show up to an improv class or course, at least at the beginning, they’re almost always not really coming for the improv.
Rebecca McMillan, Stroud, UK. Stroud Improv.Joining an improv community is a fantastic way to make an exponential number of friends as an adult. Its socio-emotional benefits are staggering - limitless even. You don’t have to be funny, or remotely confident. Just go along to a drop-in or join a course. Take a punt! I really believe doing improv will change your life for the better.
Pip Palmer, Woking, UK. Woking Improv Theatre.The best wisdom I heard and I still quote is What is the similarity of a good and a bad Improv Show? Both are over! Jim (Woods) said it years ago and it's affected me since then.
Anne Raab, Vienna, Austria. Bemme&Melange.Improv can be about anything, but it doesn't have to be about everything. As you can offer your scene partner anything, I say choose to delight them. In a world filled with real-life darkness, the really edgy and dangerous ones are those who choose the light.
Stuart Moses, Reading, UK. Improv London Podcast. Moses & Bird.You can take the train to crazy town but you have to take the local.
Evan Schweitzer, Frankfurt, Germany.It's difficult to not talk about mental health here for me. Improv has helped me transform from a depressed, anxious and angry young man to a confident, sociable and only occasionally grumpy older one! Oh and I gained a wife through improv too. Not bad all in all, thanks improv!
Chris Read, Norwich, UK. Dogface Improv.Anything at one level is white noise. Find dynamics in your scenes and characters. Even if you have a character that has a funny voice and waves their hands with every word - that will get taxing to the audience. Find different dynamics like volume, distance, levels, and activity (the more we talk about something, the less we do it).
David Escobedo, Chester, UK. The Improv Boost.Improv helps me going through uncertainties in life and extended my world to places I couldn’t imagine before. It’s an infinite game, enjoy and keep playing.
Yuehan Liu, Stockholm, Sweden. Fika Improv Group.I love this from Liz Allen about being on the back line: Tiger ready, humble calm 🐯🌝
Tara Judah, Bristol, UK. The Bish Bash Bosh. Bristol Improv Theatre.Be with what IS happening, not what you thought was going to happen. This is something that I return to constantly on stage and in life. Be Here Now.
Pippa Evans, Edinburgh, UK. Showstopper!Don't drop your shit! from Susan Messing is easily the most valuable improv advice I've had.
John Cremer, UK.The essence of improv, which is also something I wish I knew when I started, is how you connect, not just with other people, but how you connect with yourself. And when you're looking for a teacher or other people to play with, I think it's important that you feel you can do both. Otherwise you will not enjoy the experience or understand why things aren't working or how to develop.
Adam Courting, London, UK.I feel my biggest take away from improv is to find play and joy, to make the first offer count. Keep showing up and find ways to hold yourself with kindness always.
Anisha Pucadyil, London, UK. London Playback.I wish I had always known how much the audience loves to watch an improv scene be built. The process of creation is sometimes more engaging than the actual characters and stories we create. There is magic in moments when things are blurry and taking form. Patience here pays off every time.
Caity Curtis, Winnipeg, Canada. The Improv Company.Be kind and genuine. With others in life, but also with their characters, your character and the story you create. It's all you need to do good improv. Also: be more like Chris Mead.
Gael Doorneweerd-Perry, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Flock Theatre.From a 64 year old who has learnt how to let go of control, be silly, make mistakes, laugh from my heart and I've never had so much fun! Wished I'd signed up years ago!
Annie Pritchard, Haslemere, UK. The Pretend Company.Surprise yourself. It’s a rare thing to be taken completely by surprise, but there’s great power and energy in it. Trust yourself and let the currents of a scene take you somewhere new. You'll know what to do.
Alex Menhams, Woodbridge, UK. Here & Now People.Yes, And. Two small words that make a big difference. It’s a subtle shift in character … a leaning into your quirks … embracing the absurd … giving someone else the you go girl spotlight shine … and, yes, you can let things go … even the last rolo … because who needs chocolate when you’re front row at comedy.
Helen Dixon, Guildford, UK. The Pretend Company.I love discovering new scenes and characters, and the pressure of the moment that makes you realise there's an infinite number of stories and you need to be ready to go wherever the narrative takes you.
Carys, Farnham, UK. The Pretend Company.Improv is the ultimate team sport. While every individual comes with a unique set of skills, the best improv occurs when you prioritise the elevation of your scene partners' performance over your own.
Jamie, Farnham, UK. School of Mock.If your scene partner gives you a puppy, play with the puppy. Don't start asking where they got it from.
Becky Hartnup, London, UK. The Ick Factor.It really doesn't matter if your brilliant offers are misunderstood. Just play along with your scene partner's understanding of the situation.
Håvard Henriksen, Bergen, Norway.What’s a guaranteed constant of improv? That it’s as slippery as an eel! We hope that one day we’ll tame it; become a master - and of course, we make lasting pathways to better choices as we learn. But essentially, it’s yoga with laughs. You gotta be in the moment.
Victoria Hogg, UK. The Offer Bank. IMPROV Inc. DDG Improv.In 2017 Joe Bill was one of our international guests at the Moment! Festival in Vienna. The cast was rehearsing a format all day long and in the evening we did the show. Joe, me and another improviser were sitting on the side of the stage, watching other cast members open the show. And in some way it went wrong, as in not aligned with what we'd worked on during the day. The third person on our side started to get irritated by that and Joe just turned his head and said: It's ok. Play the show that's here now. Not the show you would like to be in.
Ursula Anna Baumgartner, Vienna, Austria. Salon Spontan. Bemme&Melange.There is a countless number of equally good ways to get to wonderful, surprising destinations - not one right way to one right destination. Go explore together!
Kaisa Kokko-Palmer, Helsinki, Finland. Impro Helsinki.Improv has given me something I had been looking for without knowing it. Confidence, collaboration, creativity and community. Attending a drop-in session is fun and a brain break from reality for 2 hours a week that allows me to explore and escape at the same time. You are only as good as those around you makes for a welcoming and nonjudgmental environment.
Joolz Glowacki, Farnham, UK. The Pretend Company.It’s more fun if it’s all your fault. I used to fall into the trap of trying to smart my way out of situations. In scenes I’d be like Teflon and nothing would stick to me. I’d try to find a funny way out, I’d try to win every argument. The problem was never because of my character ... the moment I was given the note to own it, to have the flaw, to be the reason for the problem, and let that impact my character - my scenes and shows got way funnier, deeper, and more interesting. The audience wanna see flawed people making mistakes and getting their comeuppance. They don’t wanna see you win an argument about imaginary things.
Liam Webber, Sydney, Australia. Improv Theatre Sydney.
And mine is ...
Almost everything on an improv stage is made up. But your fellow improvisers are real and standing in front of you. Find the scene in them.
Chris Mead, Farnham, UK. Project2. The Pretend Company.
Thank you to EVERYONE who contributed!