#15 Little lights
Issue #15 Little lights
22nd June 2022
Chris Mead, reporting for newsletter-writing duty.
And hello to all my new subscribers. Where did you come from? I am confused but delighted that you are here.
It's been a great week. We staged the first improv show with my amazing Farnham students at the beautiful Blue Bear Bookshop in the town centre. I was so proud of their playfulness and fierce support of each other. If you live nearby and this sounds like your thing, I'm starting a new Beginners class in September.
Elsewhere, I'm having the time of my life creating improv exercises about 90s point & click adventure games and the works of Agnès Varda & Chloé Zhao. I've been playing Thimbleweed Park and watching Le Bonheur & The Rider and calling it work.
I was also incredibly lucky to play with three of my favourite improvisers over the weekend - Kaci Beeler & Roy Janik (from the Hideout Theatre in Austin, Texas) and the redoubtable Jinni Lyons (who was in my very first short form group, The Ministry). I spent much of my time being one of those inflatable guys that wave their arms around.
Improv, eh?
Rule of three
[Improv] Patti Stiles
Loved this blog from Patti Stiles. "Believe what you will, work how you want and respect other people's right to do what they believe." Patti is the best. I don't think that's a controversial statement.
[TV] Please Like Me
Discovered this amazing Australian sitcom over one of the UK lockdowns. It's brilliant, sharply written, funny and has a vibe like nothing else I've ever seen. And then at the end it tears your heart into pieces. And if nothing else, its theme tune by Clairy Browne & the Bangin' Rackettes is a major bop.
[Interview] Alan Alda
This week's newsletter is full of improv legends. This is Alan Alda being effortlessly cool and piercingly perceptive about a great many things.
Spotlight
I'm back at the Blue Bear Bookshop on Friday to interview author, doctor and comedian Ed Patrick about his new book, Catch Your Breath. I've read the book and think it's a worthy successor to This is Going to Hurt (the BBC adaptation of which is peerless in my humble opinion). Come down if you've got some time.
Longform thoughts
"Identify the people that make your improv console blink all its little lights at once and then MAKE SPACE TO WORK WITH THEM."
Read my thoughts on making work your proud of in Finding your improv collaborators.
Radio days
Look how you've grown, Radio.