#76 A spirited OH!
Issue #76 A spirited OH!
23rd August 2023
Hey there, crazy funsters!
I’ve had a smashing week. And I mean that literally because yesterday I put my arm through a skylight window, causing the pane of glass to fall on top of me.
I let out a spirited OH! as the glass shattered around me, it didn’t seem like a big deal at the time, only later did I fully comprehend how lucky I was to escape with just two shallow cuts on either arm.
I mean look at the heft of that glass. That bad boy isn’t playing around!
Also, I have a hole in my roof now.
Rule of three
[Improv] Will Hines vs the Harold
I’ve been taught by Will Hines a couple of times now. I’ve always loved him as a teacher because he comes from an improv tradition that is very premise-based and game of the scene-y (which isn’t normally my cup of tea) but he is so unfailingly thoughtful, compassionate and brilliant that he is able to deliver those concepts with real depth and utility. I want to recommend his excellent Substack - Will Hines Enterprises - but particularly push you towards The Harold Has Too Many Scenes! which I found an eloquent dissection of the form.
[Theatre] Red Rose Chain
My brilliant pal, Emily Jane Kerr is currently starring in The Winter’s Tale at the Theatre in the Forest auditorium at Sutton Hoo. I went along yesterday and was absolutely enchanted by the mix of Shakespeare, comedic asides and effortless musicality that the cast conjured. I love an outdoor theatre show, the way the night slowly descends around the audience, holding us close until all that is left is the magic on stage. The theatre company Red Rose Chain is really interesting too - working to build a community where marginalised & disabled participants collaborate in creative equality with professional artists. Please support them if you’re nearby.
[Podcast] World’s Greatest Con
This podcast is well-researched and well-made. Every season presents a different world of con artists and tricksters. It’s fascinating stuff - I particularly liked the current season which is about two teenagers who convinced the US government they were psychic super soldiers.
Spotlight
Improv Cinema Club returns in the Autumn for a new online season of fascinating discussions and brand new improv exercises. Tara has really pushed the boat out with films centred around the art of acting itself. And if that wasn’t exciting enough, in week 7, we’re studying Don’t Think Twice - a film specifically about improv. And we have Liz Allen as the guest facilitator. Liz is an utterly phenomenal teacher and we’re particularly delighted to have her because she actually worked on the movie as the real-life coach to the fictional improv team, The Commune. She’s promised to lead us through the exercises she used with the cast and let us in on the process of creating such an authentic depiction of improv onscreen. Click here to see what films we have coming up and access our early bird pricing.
And talking of early bird pricing - we’re already 50% sold out on the upcoming Both/ And course I’m teaching with Emily Murphy in October. If you’re interested in that London-based class - you have until the end of August to sign-up at the lower rate.
Longform thoughts
Last week, I wrote a piece called 🚫 #75 To-Don’t list for improv teachers. I got two bits of feedback:
i) DON’T lists are too negative
ii) I thought there was going to be 75 points
So anyway, here’s a list of 76 things you should do as an improv teacher.
Radio contact
🎶 What's your name, son? Ra-di-o-o Hammy-tongue. My name is Ra-di-o-o Hammy-tongue. And there's a million things I haven't done but just you wait, just you waaaaait.