“In the striving for agreement, any form of difference—whether it is based on gender, race, or sexuality—is subsumed into the larger groupmind. Anyone whose views diverge too far may be accused of trying to impose an inappropriate personal or political agenda. Feminist, ethnic, and gay perspectives are often viewed warily and allowed only in the most homogenized constructions. Thus, it seems that the universal groupmind for which classic improv strives is too often simply the heterosexual white male mind”
Amy E. Seham, Whose Improv Is It Anyway: Beyond Second City. Jackson, Mississippi:
U of Mississippi P, 2001. p. xxvi
Definition
Appropriateness is a notoriously knotty subject when it comes to the arts, and perhaps doubly so when practitioners assume the roles of real-time authors and performers. I’ve explored related subjects in prior entries (notably Groupmind, Inclusiveness, Punching Up, and X-Rated), and this new featured term strikes me as a particularly problematic intersection of all these issues of audiences, content, and intention. As Seham notes, players must exert extra care not to exclude unfamiliar material and perspectives from the messy process of group creation, for in doing so, a call for Appropriate can become accidentally synonymous with elevating the tired and often monopolizing voices of the majority. But how can we balance freedom and pursuing the (our) obvious, with a more nuanced and community-building awareness?
Example
The ensemble performs in front of a grade school assembly, or PTA mixer, or group of community activists…
Player A: (after a potentially raunchy line of dialogue) “That’s what she said.”
Dynamics Worth Pondering in our Pursuit of the Appropriate
1.) Know your audience. My example above veers towards the silly as one would hope that most attentive improvisers would know better than to dip into their more salacious material in front of an audience of young children, but I’m not sure we always play with this level of sensitivity when performing in front of a more general gathering. Yes, there are certainly shows that thrive on a “no holds barred” energy, and where the audience expects a certain level of frankness, maturity, or outright bawdiness. More often than not, however, improvisers play before a variety of attendees. With my campus troupe, we tend to have mainly college-aged students in the house, but in recent years, we’ve attracted a loyal cohort of retirees which made it abundantly (and awkwardly) apparent when scenes portrayed older characters in a less-than-generous light. I’d argue that it probably shouldn’t have taken this shift in attendance to cause an adjustment in playing style and that, if in doubt, it’s perhaps always helpful to imagine someone belonging to the position you’re portraying sitting in the auditorium for any given performance.
2.) Know your venue. Depending on your venue, your audience might skew towards a certain demographic or expectation as well. In my professional home, certain nights, times, and show titles come with significantly different show parameters. What might feel perfectly at home during a wine-fueled Wednesday show marketed to young professionals in the area, might not feel at all appropriate if plopped as is into a family-friendly PG-13 show on a Friday night. Honoring venue norms are important when it comes to setting boundaries, especially if these content guard rails (or lack thereof) have been clearly communicated to your audience beforehand. (Which is not to say that a more adult show shouldn’t seek its own brand of appropriateness; lazy, stereotypical, and uninsightful improv is still just that even if your patrons have had a few drinks and are expecting easy laughs.)
3.) Know your agenda. And connected to the issue of audience and venue emerges that of your greater agenda. If you’re a regular reader of these posts, you’ll know that I believe (deeply) that improv can be a powerful tool in the world of art (and beyond) to forge powerful and meaningful bonds and empathy. Now, this may not explicitly serve as part of your stated agenda, but it is certainly worth interrogating why you (and your company) are doing (or not doing) what you are doing (or not doing). Commercial enterprises invariably have to deal with commercial concerns – I’m less worried about surprising my audience on campus with a complex and perhaps unfunny truth than the folks I entertain on the weekend who have paid cold, hard cash (although, truthfully, I tend to bring some of that same energy regardless)! However, the rallying call of commercialism needn’t become a mask for crass carelessness where punching down becomes the lingua franca. Even (especially) populist improv can (should) elevate rather than diminish.
4.) Know yourself. It’s human nature to gravitate towards what we know or find familiar, and for our sense of humor and joy to emanate from this lived truth and experience. If we see ourselves, however, as finished products as opposed to process (much like the artform we extol and pursue), we run the risk of becoming entrenched and stale. The world evolves (hopefully) and we should seek to do the same (hopefully). Most of us would admit to boldly crafting scenes, characters, or jokes without a second thought in our performance pasts that we would now cringe to offer up on our stages. And, perhaps, this is precisely what we should feel. So, as we seek to define and embrace some sense of appropriateness, we should recognize that this is a rich and moving target that will require us to question and adjust and change. I feel this deeply as a teacher of the form when I go back to lesson plans I may not have used for a few years and see in them shortfalls that the new me finds a bit dubious or uncomfortable. Which brings me to my final bullet point…
5.) Know. A common theme throughout many of my posts is that if we can only embody or perform what we know, then we should seek to know more and more each day. Blindness needn’t become entrenched.
Final Thought
Seham’s opening quote charges us all to view appropriate stories in an inclusive and welcoming (dare I say, loving) way. That’s what she said. There is a lot in the world pushing us apart. Perhaps improv needn’t add to that isolating narrative.
Related Entries: Groupmind, Inclusiveness, Punching Up, X-Rated Antonyms: Careless, Damaging, Offensive, Selfish, Thoughtless Synonyms: Boundaries, Caring, Thoughtful
Cheers, David Charles.
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Photo Credit: Leesa Brown
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