Wednesday 24 September 2014

To Conflict or Not to Conflict?

We were focusing on the middle of scenes in workshop this week. We were looking at possible tilts, breaking the routine, and at what techniques can move the action forward. An improviser asked me if what I wanted to see was conflict. I, without hesitation, responded with a resounding “NO”. I have always avoided teaching conflict in scenes, especially when teaching newer improvisers. I do this because conflict makes me feel gross when I watch it. After the improviser asked me, he followed it up with, “Why not?” I blinked and with a blank stare started talking to see if I would find an answer mid speech. I knew I didn’t like conflict but hadn’t looked or explored closely at why I disliked it so much until that moment.
I believe it was Keith Johnstone that said, “The reason people love to watch improv is because it’s the only time you can see people getting along and working together rather than fighting and arguing.” We as people move easily to conflict. We do so mostly out of fear. When we get scared we tense up and protect ourselves. In fact we tend to over-protect ourselves to the point that we become negative, defensive and gravitate to conflict. So when working with newer improvisers I attempt to create a warm and welcoming environment in the hopes that they can relax and hopefully start what I like to call “happy and healthy” scenes.
I’ve been saying to improvisers a lot lately that they should “find their fun” on stage, or that they should figure out what they truly enjoy about improvising. This is all in the hopes that they naturally avoid conflict because they are having fun and, by extension, feel comfortable. This unfortunately doesn’t always work. It’s amazing how many times I’ve watched an improviser pretending to have fun in a scene. They sound sarcastic and are awkward to watch.
Most adults who are learning to improvise pretend to have fun rather than just simply having fun. Improvising as an adult is not as easy as you might think. I would argue that one of the hardest challenges is learning how to break through all the rules with which the world beats us down. Having fun can be scary for adults because it reveals a part of us that we are conditioned to believe is “childish”. Having fun means taking a risk by being genuine rather than performing. In some ways, improv can result in a more genuine presentation of ourselves than what we call “real life”. Makes you wonder whether we perform more on stage or in real life.
This is not to say that good improv cannot come from a scene with an improviser who is still learning to “find their fun”.  What I love most about seeing someone on stage pretending to be happy or pretending to have fun is that it creates a really fascinating dynamic between themselves and another improviser who is more comfortable on stage . All it takes is for one or both to notice the genuity and ingenuity of their characters and play to the true relationship dynamic. A player being disingenuous is such a huge amazing offer whether they intended it to be one or not.
Side note: Dynamic is a big focus of mine. I am as of late heavily exploring three different levels: real true dynamic between the improvisers, dynamic between the two characters and lastly the dynamic between the improvisers and the audience. There is so much to explore there and it really creates meaty scenes when you become aware of these dynamics. This is usually established in the first couple offers made in the start of a scene and can really help secure a strong platform off the hop.
There has been conflict scenes I have actually enjoyed. What makes them different? The conclusion I have come up with is that one or both of the improvisers were strong enough to look at subtext hidden under the disagreement in the scene. They were able to dissect the scene enough to have the conflict be important and focus on what was “really going” on in the relationship. They played to their relationship dynamic, rather than relying on the surface conflict to carry the scene. When we have two people on stage that do not play present enough to see the relationship dynamic, they miss the subtlety that is there. They argue and block the offers from moving forward.  They get into fight or flight mode and it turns ugly. You cannot be present in a scene if you are in panic mode. Fear will paralyze you.
Fun, however, enables you. Play makes you stronger and more confident. And with greater strength and confidence comes a sense of calm and comfort that allows you to be present and to see under the skin of a scene and to understand the intricate nervous system at work underneath.  
In our next class I am going to start to dissect conflict and attempt to create a safe environment to explore this part of an improv scene. There are certain tools we can use to help us if we end up in a conflict scene. I have performed in many shows where I am playing with someone who goes on the attack and stops listening to their scene partner; when an improviser becomes defensive or uncomfortable it can be difficult to recover the scene. I believe that by looking closely at where their anxiety is coming from, and by paying close attention to what’s underneath the conflict, we can do grounded scene work that is enjoyable for both audience and improviser.


Gauge Your Improv

You have been doing improv a little while. You may have done a hand full of shows, or at least attended enough classes that you lost count. You may have been doing improv for years and years with a thousand shows under your belt. Have you checked in to see where your skills are lately? Self evaluation is a pretty hard thing to pull off. We usually look to instructors or directors to keep us on track and let us know where we are with our development. That or we are just so hard on ourselves that we don’t do anything except beat ourselves up which doesn’t get us further ahead at all. At some point you need to look inward and be able to truly check in with where your skills are using an unbiased opinion.

Let’s start by looking at a couple ways we should probably avoid using as an indicator of our skill level. Firstly, audience laughter shouldn’t be used as a gauge for success in improv. Many well known improvisers have written articles and blogs about this topic so I won’t go into it too much.  Basically if you are basing your skills on laughter alone you will not push yourself as a well rounded performer. There are so many different elements to improv that it does not have to be all about the comedy. I like to think that an engaged audience leaning forward on their seats are more powerful than a laughing audience. Now that being said, if you are in it to make people laugh and it is working then all the power to you. You should try to get out of performing improv whatever you are looking for. I applaud people that find what they need and strive to do more of it.

Sometimes listening to family, friends and other improvisers right after a show can be dangerous. They usually all say the same thing, “Great show you’re great”. I’m guilty of patting someone on the back and saying good job when I didn’t mean it. I have tried to correct this by being more honest if time and appropriateness allows it. Another method to start an honest conversation is by asking the improviser how they thought the show went. (I try to sound neutral and happy when I ask). See where they are. I find the trend is that they will be either really negative or very naïve to how the show actually went. If it seems appropriate and I have a good relationship I may engage in a discussion about the show in general to talk about some of what I saw good and bad. I never give notes about a show or improviser unless I was asked or that improviser is a student of mine
I know for myself after a show is a tricky time for being focused. I am still buzzing from the excitement and when someone compliments me it is hard not to say something negative about how the show went. I am constantly picking a show apart as a director and performer. I need to remember that they may not know all the ins and outs of improv and have just come to be entertained. This can leave a sour taste in an audience member’s mouth when they truly enjoyed the show. We are all guilty of this. We sometimes need to just say thank you and give weight to the compliment. If they had a good time and enjoyed the show then they enjoyed the show.

So how do we gauge ourselves? Well this can be done in a few different ways. One thing I am now trying to do is look at a show as a whole. I start with asking myself, what went well. Then I attempt to be a little more constructive by asking myself what could have worked better. That wording is important. It is not what didn't work. You got through the show so it all worked in some capacity. So what could have worked better is how I word it. After a show when you have notes or on the drive home you could look at the show as a whole and then more specifically the individual scenes or games. There is always something that worked well and something you could use as a challenge for you to get better at.

That brings us to goal setting. If you set goals for yourself and really try to apply them, you will find it a great way to check in. I usually give myself a larger goal to keep in mind for a few months. Recently it  has been to do my best to make my scene partner the protagonist in our scene together, rather than take the role on myself. I have a tendency to play the protagonist. I do it easily so it became a habit to fall into. I found a larger and longer ongoing goal like this usually works better than a different goal before each show. Most of the time when you set a goal and then walk out on stage it leaves your mind and it isn’t until you get into the back room again that you remember what you were supposed to be focused on.

I have a group of improvisers that I work with for a 3 month term. What we start the term with is doing a bunch of scenes. Then with the class each individual will figure out a goal for themselves and spend the 3 months aiming for it and tweaking it as we progress forward. We check in with workshops to keep the goal present and alter it if need be. This will help in goal setting for them. Goal setting is an invaluable skill to apply to everything you do in your life. Looking inward and being able to evaluate yourself is not easy but you can flex that muscle and help it grow with putting it into practice as much as possible.

Wednesday 23 April 2014

Expectations


I have recently been focusing on the concept of “expectations” when I am hosting a show. There are certain expectations I try to be aware of during each performance. “Lowered expectations”, for example, is when we set up the idea of failure so that the payoff is greater when we succeed. If we were to start a scene or game by claiming that “this will be the best game you have ever seen”, it will never live up to its potential or expectation. Keith Johnstone talks about lowered expectations in workshops. He often tells students they are about to do a really hard exercise that they should expect to fail at, and the result is that they then are able to just experience the exercise rather than worry about the outcome. This idea was taught to me a long time ago, but is starting to play more of a role while I am hosting or playing in a show. I also think it goes way beyond just setting each game up to give it the best chance to succeed. I believe I practiced this subconsciously, but have now started to actually focus on expectation and give it more weight.

There is a certain amount of expectation that an audience will enter a show with. Some audience members have never seen improv and others are improv connoisseurs, so we should be aware that they all come into the venue with some sort of expectation or pre-existing idea of what it is they will experience. I am still getting responses from hesitant audience members that they have a fear they will get pulled up on stage and forced to look stupid. Whether you do that in your show or not, you should set up what you will be doing during the show right off the top so that they can either breathe easy or sit in anticipation of being volunteered. (We do not usually involve audience beyond giving suggestions or stories at our space unless it is a private event). This can all be done with a good introduction to the format or show delivered to the audience by the host. We strive to get the audience’s energy to be relaxed and excited at the start of each of our shows. Once the show is explained and set up, we can move on to the next few steps.

Expectation and marketing are closely related; audience members will be disappointed by shows that are marketed as something they are not. For instance, I remember being incredibly excited to see a show a few years back that was advertised as: “The most hardcore improv group you have ever seen. We commit so hard it could kill us!” Unfortunately, it was just like any other improv show and did not deliver what it had promised. Promoting a show as it actually is will help set up a good audience expectation. Let them know what they are about to see and be clear. I am still learning the best way to market an improv show so it reaches the most people and looks appealing, and this constantly changes with trends and developing social media. However, the point remains that an audience will respond positively to a show that meets the expectation set by your marketing campaign, and then more intimately by the host/set up of the show.

Once you have your audience’s attention and the show is on its way, there are all kinds of ways to play with expectations. Something I have been doing recently is setting up a certain improviser to succeed as the show goes on. I read their dynamic and their energy to play with them so that at some point they can have their big moment. I tease them a little and give them a harder time so that as the host I look like the bad guy. Subsequently, the audience decides that they are the underdog and feel a personal connection with the performer and ultimately crave the payoff of the underdog blowing the show out of the water in the end. I have spoken with my improvisers about this concept, and they are aware that the razzing has a purpose for the show dynamic. This is a layer of expectation on top of the overall show that takes practice and hyper-awareness of audience expectation and the players’ energy. As a host I have also experimented with having the audience cheer and give me applause when I “mess up” or fumble over my words. This sets a great tone for the show as well as the audience realizes not only that the show is truly improvised, but that all the performers including the host are human and, therefore, relatable. By encouraging the audience to applaud “failure” as well as “success”, you are setting the precedent that both are positive and enjoyable and shattering the assumption that there is a “right” and “wrong” way to perform the show.

A show format we did recently took the concept of applauding or positively accepting failure to another level. The improvisers were partnered up randomly and asked personal questions about each other. At the start of the show, I asked each pair how well they thought they knew each other. This set up the expectation that the group that knew each other the most should win. At almost every show, the pair that seemed to know each other the least was actually the team that came out on top. This was very rewarding for the audience because the underdog story played out for the whole show. The audience really supported the team that had the biggest obstacles to climb.

Let me define some terms for a moment; when I refer to “winning” or “losing” a show, it is not the classic definition that we use in everyday conversation. If a show is set up like a competition then yes, someone is technically winning and losing, but this does not mean that one performer was necessarily “better” than the others. Even in a show that is not set up as a competition, the audience will undoubtedly cheer on a specific player because some improvisers will naturally exude an energy that makes the audience want them to win. On the other side of the coin, other improvisers make amazing antagonists that the audience would love to see “lose” to the favored player.

I think every improviser should be setting themselves up for success in each show they are involved in. This means exploring the roles of the “winner” and the “loser”. If you play the “heel” well—to use a wrestling analogy—then play that so someone else can play “face”. Both of these types of improvisers “win” in the end if the audience’s expectations and hopes for the show are fulfilled. This all needs to be in a healthy environment but can be a fun exploration of how you perform and are viewed by an audience; once you become more aware of the roles you naturally fall into, it can be a great deal of fun to learn to play the opposite role successfully.  A host should try to be aware of whose side the audience is on and help build that dynamic throughout the show. The audience may even be routing for the host to “win” the show, which is another fun dynamic to develop.

People laugh when they are surprised in a show, and expectations can be a great way to set up surprises for an audience. Through use of effective marketing, hosting, and playing, expectation becomes a diverse and ever-changing way to create quality shows to which your audience can’t help but feel personally connected.

Tuesday 25 February 2014

Improv is Stupid



     Improvisers can take improv way to seriously sometimes. I know I am guilty of it. It’s hard not to when you are so personally involved and invested in it. I totally understand this. I think we need to remember what it is that we are actually doing though. We get to "play" and throw away the idea of rules. We get to put our focus on engaging and exciting those around us. It’s actually pretty silly if you think about it. Adults playing and acting out is actually a REALLY weird idea. It goes against everything we are taught is acceptable in society. My inspiration for this post is that I often I hear improvisers preaching about how they can make people’s lives better using improv, and that the rules we use help us be more engaged and better at relationships in the world we live in. I've watched a lot of Ted Talks recently and other online videos all about how if you follow our rules and practice our techniques your life will be amazing. Your life will be what it is. If your life is shitty, improv won't save it, or you. It’s important to remember that improv is therapeutic but is not a form of therapy.

     I've "helped” people by showing them ways to bring their confidence out. I've opened doors in people's careers by letting them in on our trade secrets. I've helped people be less awkward. Are we as improvisers some amazing force put on earth to affect and help humanity? I do think we have the ability to help those around us become more comfortable in their skin, but also that we need to be very careful how we approach this. Once someone has committed to the work we can push them as far as they are willing to go but we can’t preach our ideas to just anyone. I think by doing so we may alienate those that could potentially benefit from what we do. Some of us are actually really socially awkward, so preaching our improv philosophies has the potential to make us appear to be someone that people may want to avoid. I realized this while talking to a technician at an improv theatre. While talking to her, I pushed her and kept asking why she wasn’t taking improv classes. I know we have all done this to someone at some point. She said to me, “I get the improv spiel from everyone. I don’t need it from you. I get it, it’s great but it’s not for me.” Huh...

     If someone wants to know about improv then let’s be honest with them about what this actually is. This isn’t some miracle concept that will change the world. We shouldn’t treat it as such. We are just regular, awkward people that want to improve how we are as human beings. We are not perfect and aren't always happy. We have really big ups and downs just like everyone else. So instead of trying to sell this as something it’s not, perhaps we should try to label as it actually is. We are not living perfect lives because of improv. We struggle just as much as our fellow non-improvisers, if not more. The honest truth is that most of us are a bit quirky and have a hard time fitting in anywhere else. We are misfits and weirdoes. I was picked on my whole life because I didn’t fit in anywhere. It definitely takes someone wanting to put in the work for all of these things to actually be useful to them. I’m getting to the point where if I have an opportunity to tell someone what we do I’d rather attempt to show them by either having them come to a workshop or show instead of preaching words that may deter rather than encourage.

     Yes, improv is amazing to us. But it isn't for everyone. We need to get off our high-horse and realize that some people are going to look at what we do and think it's stupid. Let’s not let this affect us personally. We are not any more special or unique than any other art form and their teachings. We need to realize the ridiculousness of grown people in a room yelling "bunny bunny". That's okay. Once we let go of the idea that we are doing something totally unique and from a higher power, we can then just be there in our art, play, and have fun. Let’s embrace the silly and ridiculous of it all and relish in it. Be proud that improv encourages an environment to be silly and sometimes ugly and act in a way that is not socially conventional.

     We are not perfect. Improv can be "stupid". It being stupid is a major part of its beauty. Let’s accept that we are not perfect and that we are allowed to be stupid. Once we do that we can grow, learn and explore. Let the art form and honesty, not intangible philosophy, draw in those who will benefit from improv.