Doing some paperwork for CHFF Laugh It Out program, I think of why we keep up an activity doing Improv. Beyond the typical reasons given by Improv teachers and directors.
When you direct a scripted work, one of the first things a director and actors works out is the business of a scene. We have words from the author, but we must develop a scene from the words. Beyond simple blocking, we develop activities and possibly fidgety actions for our characters. Than a prop master, costumer and scene designer come in and help create our world. Once we are in dress rehearsals with all of the pieces in place we refine the business.
The most boring performance just involve two actors talking without movement. The best writer, directors and performers can find a way to make this work on some level but it will never be exciting.
In Improv we have nothing to start. It is up to us to work together to create the business during the scene. To often we worry about being funny or thinking of what to say. All the time keeping an activity will do all the work for us. Create your characters, and a world for the characters to live in, then let the characters do the work. Once you learn to trust your other selves, your own self awareness drifts away. More to the point you get out of your own way to create.
Create a job, hobby or other activity to do.
Make a choice about your character that differs this character from you. He/She is taller, shorter,, fatter, thinner… He/She has a tick, habit, disability, or other physical difference.
Make a Choice about the character’s mental state. Confident, scared, happy, sad….
Make a choice about the world this character lives. Rich, Poor, Middle Class, White Collar, Blue Collar, Criminal….
And of course make the most important choice, how does your character relate to the other characters? Friend, romance, enemy, family.
Then dig deeper. How does your character FEEL about the other character? Love, Like, Hate, Jealous….
The best plays have great characters, relationships, emotional connection to audience, action. The best performances realize all of these by creating a reality to tell the story.
NOTE: In a real scene never play the emotion. These become two dimensional melodramas that are more comical than funny. But allow your characters to feel real emotions. Feels great once you do. Even scenes of great rage and sadness while give you an artistic rush.
