Sprezzatura #17 - The Enigmas We Create For Ourselves
Well, I’m not going to disagree with the common sentiment: January has been the longest two months of the year so far. Here’s to onwards and upwards.
[TV] Ludwig
David Mitchell is always a plus whenever he’s attached to a project but BBC show Ludwig feels like it was built directly for the target demographic of me.
A puzzle maker has to impersonate his twin to uncover the secret of why his brother has mysteriously disappeared. Hitch: his brother is a homicide police detective. Yesss…
It’s silly, it’s funny, and has some light drama but, most importantly to me, uses puzzles in a pretty clever way. Writing these episodes would give me a headache in the best way.
[Art] Star by Jun Ong
There’s something magical about light and shadows, day and night. Jun Ong’s “Star” is a gorgeous light installation in a space that captivates. Beams of light pierce walls, floors, space, indoors and outdoors. The symmetry, defying logic and science, is so satisfying.
Big recommendation to check out his other works.
[VIDEO] Dana Carvey and Kathie Lee Gifford
I stumbled across this video last month when a group of us were talking about Dana Carvey’s Regis Philbin impression (as one often does). The video is thirty minutes so we thought we’d just skim through it to catch a bit of the impression. We watched the whole damn thing. (You can skip the super awkward Jack Palance part.)
Carvey is guest hosting the Regis & Kathie Lee morning show in 1992 while Regis is away. Carvey is, at this time, a cast member of Saturday Night Live and Wayne’s World has just come out. I’m a huge Dana Carvey fan (Clean Slate is a great movie!) but watching him just riff through the whole video is a masterclass. He’s hyper attuned and connected to the audience, he’s listening to Kathie Lee, bouncing ideas off her, asking his own questions, and looks like he’s having the best time.
What really wowed me though was Kathie Lee. She has this untethered firehose of a co-host and 100% lets him do his thing and shine while ALSO maintaining control of the show. She perfectly knows when to listen, when to speak, when to switch gears, and is never caught out of sorts. She is conducting him and, for 30 flawless minutes, Kathie Lee is the one guiding, shaping, and leading things. Not for one second does it feel like the show is OUT OF CONTROL! (sorry)
A host’s job is to make everyone feel at home while also letting the audience relax because there is someone in charge. Kathie Lee’s display of being professional host is its own masterclass.
It’s an incredible pairing I’d have never imagined but is more than the sum of its parts.
IMPROV TIP
Connect at the start of your scene
This seems like maybe it’s obvious. Maybe this seems like it should be advice for beginners, but I’ve seen experienced players do this. I see it constantly in just about every show. It drives me up the wall. Please, just look at each other at the start of a scene. A glimpse, a glance, maybe even just tilt your ear towards them. Find a way to see what your scene partner is doing.
It can be so easy to get wrapped up in what you’re doing to start a scene, lost in your own thoughts. And if both players are doing it, then they are both in their own little world. No connection, no chance for inspiration or communication.
Yes, it’s good to bring an idea with you onto the stage to start. Yes, it’s good to be committed to that. But you’re not up there alone and you need to invite the other person to join you, not drag them along. Be flexible and attentive enough to fold in whatever they are doing, too.
Be a team player and connect with your scene partner off the top. Speak with your eyes and journey together.
EVENTS & THINGS
New Improv College show
We’ve got a new Improv College show coming up! I’m only working with one team this year. Last fall was impossibly busy and this was all I could handle. But it’s a team I’ve been working with for years. In 2023 we did The Friend Ship, an improvised sci-fi show. 2024 had us do Oops, We Fell In Love, which was improvised Hallmark movies.
In 2025, we’ve got ragtag group of magical, mythical characters living on the fringes of our society helping people out. If you’ve got a problem, and you can find them, you can count on: The Fae Team.
Keep an eye on our YouTube channel for our first show sometime in February. (or subscribe! can we hit 500?)
Can I Get A
You may or may not know that I co-run an online improv suggestion generator called can-i-get-a.com. It has location, words, relationships, and works in English, French, and Greek. It amazes me how much it gets used around the world.
We don’t charge for it. All the translations were done by volunteers. But I’d love to have it work in even more languages. If you’re interested in volunteering to translate it into a language you know deeply, let me know! You can reply to this newsletter or just email me directly: hivinnyfrancois@gmail.com
Please share?
Finally, if you like what you’re reading and you think others might enjoy it, please spread the word. Tell a friend, share the subscribe link, or hire a skywriter. It’s a free way to support what I do and I always appreciate it.
An interesting Wikipedia Page: 26th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (diamond)
l8r sk8rs,
Vinny