Matt and Steve are friends and improvisers. These are friendly chats they have about improv.
From Steve’s recent visit to Richmond, here’s a scene from the two man show we did.
Articles written by ‘If this is true…’
Matt and Steve are friends and improvisers. These are friendly chats they have about improv.
“Really beating it over the head.”
Matt: There’s a point where theme really goes aganst a lot of what you’re taught about making good moves. Lessons like “don’t over-analyze” “stay in the moment” “react to the last thing.”
Steve: I think the goal is just to get in the mode where you do the both and
Matt: But you have to see the show analytically to make a thematic move. How has your CIC team been approaching theme? Any exercises in particular?
Steve: We’ve been doing a thematic pattern game someone says wheelbarrow– printing press – windmill – cotton gin – the wheel – gun powder
Theme: “Technological advances” We do that a couple times and most of the time that’s our only warm up.
Matt: So the “pattern” is a little more abstract
Steve: Yes we try to get away from a list or something that falls into a conventional category. Sometimes it feels like thinking sideways. Read the rest of this entry »
Matt and Steve are friends and improvisers. These are friendly chats they have about improv.
“the audience gets that ‘A-ha’ moment”
Steve: I think Theme is vital to making a cohesive show as opposed to a string of funny scenes. The Second City reviews I’ve seen seem to struggle with theme which I think is odd because its scripted you’d think it’d be harder in improv
Matt: I think an improv audience is a little more willing to give you a connection. Their perception of the show is a little more supple because it’s happening right then. There a bit more of a barrier in a sketch show.
Steve: Sure. When or how do you go about establishing a theme? Read the rest of this entry »
Matt and Steve are friends and improvisers. These are friendly chats they have about improv.
“Maybe we didn’t make it up.”
Matt: There’s a warm-up game Mandy plays called “awesome!”
Steve: How’s it go, because my iO team just made up a game called “awesome!” If it’s the same game, my head’s gonna explode!
Matt: You say anything true about your life or your day, and the only rule is that everyone else in the circle, once you’re done, has to say “awesome!” with enthusiasm. “My car got dinged in the parking lot.” “AWESOME!”
Steve: hahaha We do categories and then go around in a circle and “awesome!” with enthusiasm. Maybe we didn’t make it up.
Matt: Either way, I like it. It not only releases those things about your day, but it creates this environment where anything you say is met with hungry enthusiasm. That’s a great place to do a show from.
Steve: Eager support. Blind support.
Matt: It doesn’t matter what you say, I’m going to love it and want more. Getting in that mindset, I think it’s less leaving your day at the door than picking that mindset up at the door.
Steve: I feel like I’ve been missing that a little recently. We had this show with my PG team and we’ve been in a slump. I was just like, “let’s montage and let’s have fun.” We did a ton of being the environment: trees, figurines, rapids, etc. And it was all support, someone makes a move and they’re immediately joined on stage.
Matt: That’s really what I want for teams to cultivate, that headspace. Just blind support. It’s such a nice place to be and rare, I think, maybe more rare than it should be.
Steve: I think that’s something Craig drilled with us but I’ve gotten a little more wary. I don’t think you can be in the perfect mood all the time, but you can try.
Matt: I think that’s what the “door” is about.
Steve: Door in the floor.
Matt: Pon de door.
Matt and Steve are friends and improvisers. These are friendly chats they have about improv.
“I’m about to do a show, I love doing shows!”
Steve: I think Mick [Napier] says it best in his book [Improvise]. “Don’t be tired.” You have to get to the attitude “I can’t wait to do this show.” Someone with a negative attitude is gonna pull everyone down. People start missing stuff etc., etc.
Matt: There was an RCC show we were doing the “In Your Facebook” format and the projector wasn’t working and it was this big ordeal while I was setting it up. I was getting really frustrated, grumpy wouldn’t be incorrect, and spent so much time that I had 4 minutes to warm up and get on stage. It was tough, I think I brought it into the show. It took a couple scenes, but I eventually felt back in the right space. I could definitely feel myself judging a lot of moves. I wasn’t doing my part, for sure. Read the rest of this entry »