When you start taking Improv ,it will seem that everything is about rules.”Yes and”. “Agreement”,” establish who and where you are at the top of the scene” and so many more. Even if you start at a place where they tell you there are no rules like “Annoyance” there are still rules just different ones and they don’t call them rules. But things like” always have a character when you step on the stage” is a rule whether or not it is called one. But eventually you will get to the point where you will learn to twist, turn and completely demolish every rule you ever learned. At that point you will find your own true voice and style. And that is what you have to commit to( OK if you want to get technical maybe that’s a rule too).
So after you get the basic idea and show the instructors that you can do it their way, what is improv about. It is the “Courage to Commit” it is about doing things your way. Everything you do must be with 100% commitment(another rule I know). Every character you create,every line you speak you must commit to fully. Is that easy, no its damn hard. It is often easier to find a way out or make a joke then stay true to what you have created. You have to learn to trust yourself,yes you need to trust your partner or partners as well, but it starts with you. It is difficult if not impossible for anyone else to trust, or you to trust anyone, if you don’t trust yourself. Will this sometimes lead to scenes that don’t work, maybe,but less often than you think. And accepting the failures with the belief they will ultimately create the success you want is exactly the kind of courage I am talking about here.
So the next time your brain tells you that I am not suppose to do this this way or maybe I shouldn’t go there. Ignore it. Commit to what you are doing, sometimes it might not work, but you will feel better and become a better improviser for making the effort.
As always these are my opinions and your lack of agreement breaks no rules(because there aren’t any remember). Please feel free to leave your comments and opinions. Remember this blog is meant to be a joint learning experience and I am quite sure I can learn as much from you as you do from me (maybe more). I think my next rant is probably going to be called “Don’t act, react” or something completely different and be about what is really meant by “listening”( teaser, listening is a passive activity and you should never be passive in Improv).My opinion about this or my decision to write about it may completely change by the time it is posted
