Clueless? Just Improvise.

“Go on then, make us laugh.”

Those words would probably make anybody curl up and die.  Many of us would freeze up, go into our heads and try to think of a clever joke.  We often think being funny is a special skill reserved for ingenious stand-up comedians, or witty wordsmiths like Stephen Fry.

Not so for an Improv Comedian - they’d be more likely to do the first zany thing that comes into their head.  And hey presto, it’ll probably be funny. Unlike stand-up, Improv Comedy involves short scenes made up on the fly, often with instructions from off-stage to change scenes or characters mid-flight.  When it’s impossible to plan ahead, spontaneity and total participation rule over being clever or witty.

Improv is often funny because of the eccentric and unexpected performances that happen in the heat of the moment.  As an audience, we can’t help but laugh in relief or recognition, as the performers first appear to be in dire straits, but then dredge up a convincing scene seemingly from nothing.

Can you learn this stuff?  Apparently you can - over the last couple of weeks I’ve been taking classes with Steve Roe of Hoopla.  His workshops attract everybody from rigid newbies (such as myself), to experienced actors and bona-fide theatre types. As a software engineer and logic junkie, spontaneity feels like a great skill to unlock within myself.  

Public speaking groups such as Toastmasters have helped me to feel comfortable speaking to a group, but speaking off-the-cuff requires a different bag of tricks.  Improv has taught me that convincing scenes often develop out of thin air, as long as the group is totally present and heading in the same direction.

The Hoopla workshops usually start with simple, fun warm-ups to build a safe, supportive atmosphere.  Next come specific skill-building exercises, where we take turns to act out scenes in small groups. There are many techniques, but one of the most fundamental is called “Yes, and”.  If my partner tells me that “This is the best biscuit I’ve ever tasted!” and I reply with “What biscuit?”, then I’d be denying their contribution.  With the “Yes, and” mentality I might reply “Yes and that’s the last one, you greedy pig!”  

When there’s an agreed reality, the scene gains traction. Mike Myers successfully “yes ands” a mischievous James Lipton in this exchange: JL: “Ants and caterpillars can be - in certain circumstances - delicious.” MM: “Yes, and I had them yesterday.” JL: “You had them yesterday?  Here’s a strange coincidence - so did I.” MM: “Yes I know, because I was across the street watching you.” JL: “It’s very odd because I was eating in my bathroom.” MM: “Yes, and I was in the medicine cabinet.”

The “Yes, and” technique is a way to avoid mistakes.  But even when mistakes do occur, Improv performers take them in their stride.  In fact, “mistakes” don’t even exist in Improv - they are simply “an offer which hasn’t yet been acknowledged”.  These offers turn into a “game” between the performers which is much more fun than a straight scene.

During one workshop, we formed pairs, and acted a straight scene such as a job interview.  As soon as the first mistake happened - for example, when someone says something inconsistent - we’d stop.  We’d acknowledge the mistake by turning it into a “game” occurring within the scene.  

For example, the “what biscuit?” mistake from earlier could have gone another way: Mary: “This is the best biscuit I’ve ever tasted!” John: “What biscuit?” Mary: (Unperturbed) “It doesn’t go so well with this tea though.  I prefer Digestives for dunking.” John: (Continuing the game) “Tea? Where? What are you talking about?” Mary: “I think you should try some.  Here let me pour some into your cup - ” John: “What cup? - whoa!” (Mimes being scalded by boiling water) The “game” is that John denies the existence of anything Mary says.  Mary uses John’s mistake as an offer, and eventually “traps” him.  

Mistakes like this are a fantastic way to generate material.  Pre-planned, logical thinking would never have arrived at the same result. These two techniques only scratch the surface.  Each idea we learn feels like a rediscovery of Things That Already Work - in everyday life as well as on the stage. In fact, learning improv has felt like an “unlearning” of sorts.  The creative, spontaneous part of the brain seems to work best when given space to work unimpeded.  Planning, preparation and self-criticism are thrown to the wind, and the result is fun and sometimes even hilarious.