ITI - Basics of Improvisation (Lesson)
Basics of Improvisation
What is Improvisation Theatre?
Just like life, improvisational theatre is unscripted. Given the pervasive nature of improvisational theatre, it is unlikely that students will be without any context as to what the form is about as unlikely as students have never heard of theatre or acting. For this reason, it’s a good idea, as with all new content, to develop a short diagnostic to determine the level of understanding students have before starting at the very beginning. Though most think of improv in terms of contemporary performances from "Whose Line is it Anyway," Second City, and other Theatre Sports style presentations, improvisational theatre is perhaps among the oldest form of theatrical presentation. After all, the term improvisational theatre simply refers to the unplanned or unscripted theatre. Arguably this begins with Thespis stepping out of the chorus in ancient Greece. Even if that particular event, if it happened at all, was scripted there are countless other examples of historical context for unplanned theatrical interaction on stage. Improv applies not only to completely unplanned theatre but also partially unplanned theatrical events. We see this in the interactions and exchanges between participants and viewers in African ceremonial theatre, countless reports of actors going off script and engaging with the audience from Shakespearean plays to English Panto, and virtually all forms of clowning or other performances that depend on direct interaction with an audience and their live responses. These date back as far as ancient Rome and Commedia dell’arte.
The modern use of improv and the one most closely associated with the game form we will be focusing on in this lesson can be traced back to Realism. Konstantin Stanislavsky often used improv under the “Magic If” to explore characters and objectives in rehearsal. It was Viola Spolin that started the ball rolling with Improv games as a form of actor training with improvisational exercises for students in the 40’s and 50’s. Her book, Improvisation for Theatre, is commonly used in classrooms today. Another common text is Keith Johnstone’s Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre. A free option for finding improv guidance and improv games is the Improv Encyclopedia website Links to an external site.. You can also click HERE Links to an external site. to download a copy of the Improv Encyclopedia.
Basic Rules of Improv
Although many argue that there are no hard “rules” for improv, these are common suggested rules that set students up for success.
Accepting and Advancing: Always Say "Yes, And..."
We want to be accepting of offers from our scene partners. We also want to advance or add to the content of the scene and contribute something to offer our partners!
For example, if your scene partner says, "Here, I brought you this chocolate pie!" you accept that offer by saying ''thank you" (Saying "yes" to the reality that there is now a chocolate pie) and then you need to continue the scene with your offer ("I've always dreamed I would be given a chocolate pie by my one true love") to give your scene partner something to build on.
This doesn’t mean that the character can never use the word no. It does suggest that whatever the scene partner puts out into the world should be embraced and affirmed as real and then added onto. In this way, both characters work together to build the world of the story and its forward progression.
For each of the rules, it is often helpful to play a small game or simply demonstrate the successful application of the rule and then an example of not following. These simple demonstrations are a good way to get actors on their feet in small groups without very high stakes and with very simple and achievable outcomes.
It helps to applaud groups demonstrating the concepts early on. Confidence is key to solid choice-making down the road. There are some pitfalls to be wary of, “Yes, but...” and “Yes, or...”
These responses often seem like they are effective in that they embrace the existence of the partner's proposed narrative, but they do not build on it. They either negate its usefulness or sidestep it entirely. This is a fast way to make the scene or game, not about the group but one person’s control.
Please watch the presentation below to learn more about the art of improv. Be sure that you have your volume turned up!
Don’t Ask Questions (add to the scene “yes, and…”)
Again this does not mean all questions are not allowed. There are whole categories of games that use questions exclusively. It does suggest that questions are not used to put team members on the spot. The open-ended question “Where are we?” or “What’s going on?” puts the responder on the spot to do all of the thinking. It’s much more effective to bring something to the table. A question like, “Mom, can you help me wrangle this live chicken?” engages the partner and provides some context to build on.
- The partner is Mom or called Mom
- There is a conflict with managing a live chicken and I need your help
- Be a giving partner...
This rule is a little harder to explain if you don't have a lot of practical experience with improv, but don't always try to make the scene about YOUR character.
Being a giving partner means listening to what is going on in the scene and responding naturally. Let conflict evolve in a scene, but don't feel like you have to always play an antagonistic character to make conflict happen.
Tell a Story (Beginning, Middle, and End)
All stories are about conflict. Without a script, it is more important than ever in improv that the characters quickly establish the world of the characters and then establish the problem with an inciting incident. Some artists suggest that this step should be done in the first 3-4 lines; only then can the scene progress with rising action to a climactic point of no return and resolution. It's also good to remind students not to solve the problem too early. The point is to introduce new conflicts as the rising action builds. In terms of storytelling, solving the problem with ease and speed is almost as ineffective as killing off the main character. If the problem is solved, the story is over.
It Doesn’t Need to be Funny
One of the oldest extant theories of what makes us laugh is found in the Ars Poetica, by Horace from 13 BCE. It makes the argument that things are funny because they are disjointed or incongruous. Often the unexpected has this effect. The lack of script can lead the performer into a series of unexpected and often disjointed challenges to deal with on the way to resolving conflict. This is frequently very funny, and the reason improv comedy has such staying power. This does not mean that all improv must be funny, particularly as it is used in the classroom. The early uses of improv in actor training or exploration in realism were designed not to be funny but to break free of the confines of the text and find the truth on stage that imitates real life. Real-life can be funny but often is not. Though Chekhov thought his seminal realism play, The Seagull, a comedy, most would argue it’s far more tragic than funny.
Generosity and One-Liners
The partner is the most important person on stage. As with all acting, it is important to focus on the needs of the group. The other person should be regarded as the most important person on the stage. Sometimes the best thing to do is simply to find a way to support the scene. Being a side character, or even part of the environment, can be more useful than taking center stage. This can be a challenging point to get across to students. For this reason, it is suggested to play improv games and scenes that are clearly about group success and often without a clear winner in the early stages of introducing improv.
Keep it Clean
This rule goes for all in-class performances, but it's especially true for improvisation. There will be moments where you could take a scene into inappropriate territory (bathroom humor, bad language, innuendo, or inappropriate references). A general rule to remember is if you wouldn't repeat it in front of your or someone else’s grandparents or your principal, you shouldn't say it in an improv. Additionally, it's almost always funnier and a stronger choice for a scene to choose the "less obvious" joke. So keep it clean and unique to you!
Improvisational Theatre Games
Improvisation can be intimidating for many performers. Even professional actors can be terrified of being put “on the spot” to create dialogue and a plot without a script to guide them. Overcoming this feeling of intimidation is important for performers on all levels because improvisation can help us be more flexible in our performances, think outside the box, and problem solve in the moment. It can also be a lot of fun!.
One of the most influential theatre educators in America was Viola Spolin. She believed that improvisation and “playing games” were the key to unlocking an actor’s talent and creating a sense of believability on stage.
Spolin began her work in Chicago with elementary-aged school children and developed many of the techniques and games that we still use today. Her legacy helped develop the performers at the famous Second City Improv Theatre in Chicago, which started the careers of many famous American comedians including Bill Murray, Mike Myers, Amy Pohler, Steve Carrell, and Tina Fey to name just a few. In 2012 Aretha Sills (Spolin’s granddaughter) produced a documentary about her grandmother’s work entitled "Impro Legends: Into the Unknown with Viola Spolin" that shared footage of Spolin working with adults and children in Chicago. Spolin’s theories of “Learning Through Playing” are a foundation of theatre education and one of the reasons we learn about improv by playing games.
Watch the clip of a very simple game of “Mirroring” being demonstrated by workshop participants. After you watch this video, ask yourself what you think Spolin is hoping that the participants in the game are gaining by playing it.
Please watch the presentation below to learn more about mirror games. Be sure that you have your volume turned up!
Spolin focused on game playing as the core teaching tool in her classes and workshops because she believed that when actors were truly focused on the goals of the game they were able to free themselves from the fear of failure that inhibits a lot of performers when they are on stage. What other skills do you think could be improved, by “learning through playing?”
Please watch the presentation below to learn more about Viola Spolin. Be sure that you have your volume turned up!
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