Clowning: Acting / Improv
IMPROV RULES:
- Yes and:
Respond to partners improvisation by adding on and building with "Yes and...", as opposed to any repsonse that might defuse, slow, or obstruct the building context. For example, if a person says "The aliens are coming!"; a response like "Yes, I can hear them in my fillings" is FAR better than "you're crazy". - Avoid asking questions:
Respond to partners improvisation by supporting and building on the story. Questions slow and complicate a context, decrease credibility, and overly challenge your partner by forcing them to come up with an answer. For example, if a person says "The aliens are coming!"; a response like "they probed me once" is FAR better than "why would you say that?" - Listen:
Close listening is required for good improv. More so even than with regular conversation. By listening you can respond appropriately, rather than with disassociation. - Don't Deny:
Denial is a scene killer, by instantly crushing suspended disbeliefe. For example, if a person says "The aliens are coming!"; a response like "Run around and panic!" is FAR better than "No they aren't". - Tell a story:
Do what you can to actually build a tale, rather than just back and forth banter. For example, if a person says "The aliens are coming!"; a response like "soon they'll be demanding equal rights" is FAR better than "I hear they breathe through their feet".
More improv hints can be found online.
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2006.01.01