The art of avoiding unproductive questions The magical characteristic of improv is its amorphous nature. Improv, unlike other forms of theatre, is unconstrained by rigid structural limitations. Stage actors play within boundaries; Improv actors play with boundaries. Every list of “The Rules of Improv” we’ve seen includes some version of “Don’t ask questions.” Questions, they state with emphatic certitude, are bad. It […]
As with any art form, getting better at improv takes time, effort, and keen observation skills. For all intents and purposes, improv is a communal art. You can only become a competent improviser if you find at least one other person willing to play with you. This does not, however, preclude you from doing some of
When it comes to scene starters, you are never constrained by time, space, or any other mundane concerns. As we mention in our book, The 5 Elements of Improv, “The point to be made here is that with improv you are limited only by yourself. You can quite literally do anything in a scene. You can be anything. You can go anywhere.” Keep this in
While sketch comedy and improv are both theater-based art forms, there are basic differences between the two First: sketch comedy is scripted, improv is not. While there are TV shows that employ some improvisation (Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Office), they are still working within the framework of a script; they know what the story is, even if the dialogue is
As a two-person group, we can tell you with confidence that there are dozens, if not hundreds, of games that can be played with two people Here’s a sampling of some of our favorites (and how, if necessary, we’ve adapted them) Take a look at games that are traditionally played with several people and see
Are they making it all up? The short answer is, “Yes.” The longer answer is, “Yes, but…” While every moment of Whose Line is improvised, it is also highly adapted for television. What this means is, for every 22 minutes you see, hours of video has been recorded. If a scene is going south, they
If you want to know someone’s true personality, play a game with them. Related to the well-known (and wrongly-attributed-to-Plato) quote, “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation,” we have found one of the best ways to see inside a person’s personality: play with them.
Ask 25 improvisers what the secret is and you’ll get 50 different answers In our book, The 5 Elements of Improv, we outline the major points that serve to enhance and develop the improv experience, taking your scenes to the next level. These are by no means the only strategies for great improv, but they are among
