The Joy of Improv: an After-Hours Playshop

The Joy of Improv: an After-Hours Playshop

The Joy of Improv: An After-Hours "Playshop"

Improv is a great tool for unleashing creativity in your personal work and building a knowingness, appreciation, and empathy in teams.This experimental workshop is an opportunity to learn a little about improv, so you can see how you might use it in your work. It is an aperitif, not a meal. A thought provoker, not a full on lesson.
Improv is about what is true about human nature. It is about truths, not jokes. The truth is funny in itself.
Reread that last point. It is the single most important thing you will learn about improv. Truths, not jokes.
Mick Napier talks about the "Rules" of improve (and then invites us to break them):

1) Don't deny.
2) Don't ask questions.
3) Don't dictate action.
4) Don't talk about past or future events.
5) Establish who, what, where.
6) Don't negotiate.
7) Don't do teaching scenes.
8) Show, don't tell.
9) Say "yes," and then say "and."
10) Don't talk about what you are doing.

Most of Improv is doing a "yes and ... " process. It is investment in developing a relationship and engaging story. A "no but..." is a hard stop. You have to invent then, versus investing. So... say "yes and..." literally and figuratively. And invest in a narrative.
It's best to work in smaller groups of 4 to 12 people when playing out improv, to maximize involvement of participants. We may break into smaller groups…
SampleWarm-up Exercises...
1) a 20-second dump of stuff that is in you and busying your mind, followed by a funny bodily expressed “release action,” all repeat action after each party performs it
2) sequentially say "zip," "zap," and "zop" in a circle ... any direction
Follow mistakes, note, and move. Feel the flow. Stay alert to the flow... stay in the "narrative."
3) choose any of 3 actions - "wish" (only to the RT), "wash" (only to the LT), or Wu (only forward and across). Follow the format. Can't do the same action back to the same person.
4) do exact copy (non-verbalized) actions in a circle, like the game of telephone but with motions and sounds, versus words.
5) make (uncomfortable!) eye contact to a partner, leading to mirroring of actions, leading to 4-in-a-group mirroring, leading to entire group mirroring. Switch the leader midstream.
In all these.... learn to mess with each other, don't mess each other up.

Beginner Improv...
Two up. Suggestion from the audience. "Yes and" each other. Slow. Listen. No questions. Develop the relationship for the audience. Don't try to insert jokes. Put observations about human behavior into the narrative.

Intermediate Improv...
Two up front. One starts with an action. Other breaks in and says "hey what are you doing?" And has to follow what they say. While doing the action described, has to described a different action to the next person... Each replaces and does the action just described... and invests in laying out the next action. Repeat in a series adding new people.
Or
One-word and conducted story production. Or a set of cocktail party pair ups that are looked at sequentially until they meld and relate.

Observations and Reflections

Use descriptors that ground in the moment and relationship for the audience. I feel..., you are..., this is... to pace out a conversation. Heighten, heighten, heighten... justify. Invest, build, add. I
Respect choices made by others. There are no mistakes. Everything is justified. Make your fellow players look good.
There is a temptation to ask questions, even of yourself. Don't. Make assumptions. Convey content and flow with statements that lead the narrative.
Improv is like ping pong, not like chess. It is moment to moment to moment, not anticipating.
Be specific, not general. Use and active voice and active choices to forward action. Allow silences.
Follow your instincts and unconscious leads. You can't consciously plan or control a scene.
Introverts rest easy... you can practice improv all by your lonesome. You can practice by yourself doing Dada monologues, word associations, gibberish, solo character switches, character interviews, etc... see Mapier for lots more options.
For the real reason why you might use improv in your communications team... When a team of improvisers pays close attention to each other, hearing and remembering everything, and respecting all that they hear, a "group mind" forms. That can be a thing of beauty to behold.

To Learn More...two good reads where these ideas are born:
"Truth in Comedy: The Manual of Improvisation," by Charna Halpern, Del Close, and Kim "Howard" Johnson is considered by many to be the improv "bible."
"Improvise. Scene from the Inside Out" by Mick Napier. 2nd Edition.

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