For all your improvisational theatre and training needs
A surprisingly useful skill that can enhance your style work, inspire delightful surprises, and connect you more deeply with your teammates.
Climbing the Rhyming Mountain…
This is just a taste of this entry/concept. Go here for more information.
Related Entries: Verbal Skills Antonyms: Not Rhyming! Prose Synonyms: Poetry, Verse
Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
© 2022 David Charles/ImprovDr
Connected Game: Rhyme Fire-Line
Structurally similar to the more ubiquitous La Ronde (discussed here), Here Comes the Bus is a called long-form game or exercise that prioritizes the examination of Relationships between an array of characters living and working in a small town or city.
The Basics
A simple bus stop is constructed with a few chairs or similar that can serve as a bench. Improvisers are generally preassigned an order although it can also work well with actors entering at will. In either case, characters are not predetermined but merely who will enter the space next. The scene begins with Player A onstage waiting for the bus. They are soon joined by Player B and a vignette occurs that explores how these two characters know each other and what is happening in their worlds on this particular day. When an outside caller feels that sufficient time has been given to establish a clear dynamic, they announce “Here comes the bus,” at which point the character that has been on stage the longest – in this case, Player A – boards the bus and leaves the stage. The remaining character portrayed by Player B is shortly joined by a new actor, Player C, enabling a new relationship to be explored. Each subsequent vignette is edited by the same device of the arriving bus until all players have had an opportunity to wait at the bus stop. As is the case with La Ronde games, the pattern typically ends with Player A returning – perhaps on the bus – and having their second (and the final) scene with the last remaining player.
Example
Player A sits on the bus bench meticulously shelling and eating a bag of pistachios. After several beats, Player B, with a bookbag thrown over their shoulder, arrives at the bus stop and lurks nearby gently nodding to the tempo of the song playing through their ear buds. Another moment passes until B looks over and recognizes A…
Player B: “Mr. Sadeh? You don’t usually take this bus!”
Player A: (a little out of sorts) “Good morning, Johnny. My car’s in the shop.”
Player B looks away for a moment considering their next tact.
Player B: “I really will get you that paper before the weekend. I’ve had some stuff happening at home.”
Player A: (he’s heard that before) “Well, the deadline was last Friday, so there will be a grade deduction…”
Player B: “I was really hoping that you could do me a solid on that…”
Player A: “Johnny, as you know It’s my policy to treat all my students…”
Player B: “I wouldn’t usually ask for special treatment. It’s my grandma…”
Eventually the caller announces the arrival of the bus and Mr. Sadeh gets on board while a recalcitrant Johnny remains. A few moments later, Player C enters…
The Focus
While La Ronde might jump around in time and location, Here Comes the Bus is a little more contained and tends to function in “real” time; that is, the time on the players’ watches matches that on the watches of the audience. Stories that incorporate numerous characters will typically emerge without much coaxing so don’t overly manipulate connections but rather trust that they will present themselves when the time is right. Lean into character and relationship as this will benefit both the greater arc and the individual players in the short-term.
Traps and Tips
1.) Think small town. Here Comes the Bus works well when it feels like we are meeting an interconnected village of characters that bump into each other with some regularity. The scene doesn’t need to be set in a small town per se, but if you opt for a larger metropolis, it’s worth considering focusing on a neighborhood or community gathering point. The bus stop might sit beside the local mall, or outside a sprawling apartment complex, for example. If players have to spend too much of their precious scenic time justifying why they are there in the first place you might find that the bus keeps arriving before much of value has been established and explored.
2.) Think established relationships. Similarly, players should avoid having to spend too much time figuring out how they know (or could know) their scene partner. As is the case with the related form, La Ronde, strangers are particularly problematic and tend to sap the potential of the vignettes. Players save themselves a lot of needless stress when they launch the scenes with a strong and unapologetic endowment freed from the concerns of being “wrong.” Player A may not have intended to be a teacher or Player B’s teacher more specifically, but once this has been offered the scene now has sufficient raw fuel to find some heat.
3.) Think contrasting relationships. One of the built-in delights of this format is that you get to see characters (with the exception of Player A) in two back-to-back scenes. This configuration inherently invites some fun use of contrasts that can complicate characters in unique ways. Player B is first seen at a status disadvantage with his teacher. It can prove insightful to adjust this arrangement with his subsequent scene partner whether that is heightening it further (C is a domineering parent), inverting it (C is a subordinate peer), or equalizing it (C arrives as a best friend.) It can feel like a missed opportunity when we only get to see one facet or energy from a character in both of their scenes, so keep this in mind as new characters enter the fray.
4.) Think engaging energies. A built-in trap of this game is the rather static titular location that essentially invites characters to just sit on the bus bench and chat. Be mindful not to just fall into this obvious orientation but rather explore a variety of staging and relationship dynamics. Entering mindfully with a prop, activity, or strong emotion can bring promise to a scene that might otherwise remain tepid. If more gentle hues are dominating in a way that is flatlining the story arc, take the risk of embodying a character that is having the worst (or best) day of their life. Even with a generous caller, scenes won’t often have enough time to slowly build up to something of “interest” from absolute stasis so enter ready to play with a gift in your pocket.
In Performance
A thought for the caller or facilitator: while it’s nice to give each vignette roughly equal time, be on the lookout for opportunities to pleasantly surprise the players and audience. If you’re scrolling through a larger group, in particular, it can start to feel a little predictably ponderous if scenes remain too uniform in length and it’s nice to give a scene with dynamite attack a quicker out before it fades or allow a riveting tension a little extra room to boil. You can also easily replace the caller’s announcement with an appropriate sound effect if you’re looking for a more polished edit mechanism.
Many of my thoughts regarding La Ronde squarely apply to this game as well so take a glance at that entry here for further insights especially in terms of how to handle plot, generate apt material, and expand the device into a longer format.
Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
Photo Credit: Tony Firriolo
© 2022 David Charles/ImprovDr
Connected Concept: Relationship
The second pillar of CROW, Relationship, closely interacts with and enriches the earlier concept of Character. With the exception of solo pieces (and even then, there are often implied or absent scene partners) an audience typically understands our characters based on how they engage with others in their environment.
Making the Most Out of Your Onstage Relationships…
This is just a taste of this entry/concept. Go here for more information.
Related Entries: Bulletproof, Character, CROW, Objective, Where Antonyms: Strangers Synonyms: Who
Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
© 2022 David Charles/ImprovDr
Connected Game: Here Comes the Bus
I encountered this narrative exercise during my Theatresports days and so it likely traces back to the teachings and writings of Keith Johnstone. The rather clumsy name I jotted down, Word Association Reincorporation Story, essentially defines the constituent elements. This is a great workout of your memory, along with your shelving and Reincorporation muscles.
The Basics
Players work in pairs with one serving as the brainstormer (A) and the other as the first narrator (B). Player A is given approximately thirty seconds to free associate a random collection of phrases and images. Player B must then construct a narrative that reincorporates as many of these story fragments as they can recall. Upon the completion of the first story, Players A and B exchange roles and the process repeats.
Example
Player A: “A dripping ice cream cone. The smell of dried roses. A small shoe box. A couple laughing at a restaurant table. A dog sprinting across a lawn. A rusty key turning in a lock…”
The caller or instructor signals that 30 seconds has finished.
Player B: “It was the kind of summer day that you always hope for. The sun was high in the cloudless sky, dogs – freed from their leashes – were joyously sprinting away from their humans, and Raj and Sarla soaked in the sights from their quaint outdoors restaurant table. In simpler times they had frequented this bistro often, but it had been a year full of challenges and obligations, and this beautiful day was the first time their schedules had aligned and brought them back to their favorite haunt. They shared another laugh as the waitstaff refilled their cups…”
The Focus
The narrator should strive to weave Player A’s ideas into an interesting and coherent story finding opportune moments to include shelved elements and then incorporate (and reincorporate) them into the mix.
Traps and Tips
1.) Randomness generally helps. As Player A crafts their list of elements, it can become challenging not to have them all center around a common theme or energy. As best you can, aim to include some randomness and disparateness as this will more likely inspire and challenge the storyteller. To aid in this regard it can be helpful to deploy the concept of the third thought or skipping a step. If the ice cream cone makes me then think of the summer heat I can “skip” this image and move onto the dried roses (a result of too much heat). Although perhaps avoid going out of your way to needlessly include glaringly anachronistic or stylistically incompatible choices – a laced corset, a spaceship’s tractor beam, the first bricks of an ancient Egyptian pyramid… The exercise has enough innate challenges as it is!
2.) Think images rather than just words. As modeled in the example, images will generally inspire more dynamic adventures than just a list of simple words – dog, coffee, flowers. This is a less common approach to word associating but it is worth practicing as it provides choices with richer details and potentials. It’s also helpful if your image associations don’t all belong to the same category: if everything is a different feature of the landscape, or a new character, or a detailed hand prop, then you are listing in a way that could hamper the resulting narrative. If this happens organically then so be it, but if you have the wherewithal to spot the trend as it’s unfolding, then perhaps jolt yourself onto a new thought pathway.
3.) Use what stands out to you. It can feel as if the contract of the exercise is that the storyteller must use all of the first player’s thoughts. While this is certainly an admirable ability, at least initially narrators should feel empowered to focus on the specific choices that intrigued or inspired them most. If narrators rush through the list in the hopes of checking everything off, it’s possible that rich offers won’t get enough time to develop and bloom. It’s more than okay to loiter around a few choices that feel dynamic and worthy of your time as the storyteller, especially when you’re setting up the foundation of your narrative. Even at my computer I felt a pressure to move past the laughing couple so as to get to something else, but they are likely to emerge as the story’s protagonists, so it’s helpful to give them sufficient time “on stage.”
4.) There are many ways to make the images important. While I caution against a “quick hit” mentality of just mentioning an associated image and then moving on, there are many different ways to make each offered detail significant. For example, while it’s possible that the leash-less dog will make a return (perhaps they knocked over a child holding the ice cream cone) their initial appearance did a lot in terms of setting the mood and tone of the story. Don’t feel obliged to use each offer with the same storytelling brush stroke. That being said, as I’ve partnered this exercise with the concept of reincorporation, do remain open to strategic reappearances when they present themselves. Especially if you’re searching for the next step, it’s a tried and tested narrative tool to reach back onto the improv shelf to repurpose a dormant detail.
In Performance
It can prove helpful for pairs to have a short debrief after each experience perhaps with a guiding question such as “what was a particularly successful or memorable use of an associated element?” Much like its similar counterpart, Advance/Extend Stories here, this exercise typically results in joyful and rich stories that remind us as players to simply use what we’ve been given! If you use a random word or image generator, this is also a good solo improvising exercise that can sharpen your story skills and confidence.
Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
© 2022 David Charles/ImprovDr
Connected Concept: Reincorporation
Taking something that has already been said, created, or referenced, and using it again.
Repeat After Me…
This is just a taste of this entry/concept. Go here for more information.
Related Entries: Accepting, Callback, Connections, Looking Backwards, Names Antonyms: Shelving Synonyms: Recycling, Repeating, Reusing
Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
© 2022 David Charles/ImprovDr
Connected Game: Word Association Reincorporation Story
I originally learned this game as Pass the Clap, but that title always got chuckles, so I now refer to it by the more innocuous name of Simultaneous Clap. Under the deceptively simple premise lies a challenging and rewarding warm-up that also reinforces helpful Rehearsal Etiquette principles.
The Basics
As is the case with most warm-ups of its ilk, players begin in a circle with one member (usually the facilitator when you’re first encountering the game) holding the focus.
Phase One: The first player (A) turns to either side and makes strong eye contact with the improviser beside them. Each player claps their own hands in sync with their counterpart, and in this manner the “clap” has now been passed to the next performer in the circle, Player B. Player B then turns and repeats this process with Player C with both players connecting and clapping their own hands in unison. The focus is moved steadily around the circle in the same direction multiple times until there is general comfort with the process and mechanics.
Phase Two: After several rotations, any player can now elect to send the focus back in the direction from whence it came by not turning but rather initiating a second shared clap with the person who just passed the focus to them. The clap should now move in this new direction until another player elects to reverse the course. There can be a temptation to suddenly collapse these exchanges into a small subset of the greater ensemble, so be wary of this and continue to strive to have the entire circle of players engaged.
Phase Three: In addition to the two above choices of either continuing the established direction of the simultaneous clap or sending it back, in the third phase players may now clap “across” the circle to another individual who should join them in the established passing ritual. This iteration requires even more focus, and players should concentrate on the connection between the two players interacting in the moment of exchange. If the exercise starts to falter or the rhythm degrades, encourage players to return to the simpler focus exchanges above – at least for a while – to regain the group connection and flow.
The Focus
To excel in this exercise, players must retain strong focus, build an awareness of others’ presence, and work together to lift the ensemble as a whole. These are all core tenants of an effective and joyful rehearsal process as well.
Traps and Tips
1.) It’s about the connection. As the energy and excitement of the game picks up, it can become very easy to lose track of one of the most important features of the exercise – the connection between the players. Improvisers should clap with their teammates rather than at their teammates. (It’s also the difference between trying to catch people in rather than catch them out.) The clap won’t be truly simultaneous unless both parties are equally confident, prepared, and engaged. It can become easy to lose sight of this goal, but the game will quickly decay without this clear commitment. Eye contact is everything.
2.) It’s about the rhythm. When the exercise finds its groove, there is often a delightfully steady rhythm pulsing through the various passes. There will be ruptures and stumbles – especially when the game enters the more challenging third phase – but don’t actively strive to upset or needlessly increase the tempo. Players (especially those revisiting the game) can tend to want to skip a few steps in the process and dial up the rhythm, which generally decreases the aforementioned connection. While it’s fun to play a little on the “edge,” allow the group to get to this point patiently and organically.
3.) It’s about the group’s success. It’s unpopular in improv circles to talk about “wrong” choices, but if players are continually catching each other off guard and clapping alone, then something isn’t working. Improvisers shouldn’t be looking to surprise or “win” but rather to elevate and facilitate the joy of the group as a whole. As I note in most of these warm-up games, this is why it’s also so crucial that side games don’t emerge that shut out a subset of the ensemble from actively participating. If everyone isn’t involved and having fun, then the group as a whole hasn’t succeeded.
4.) It’s about the group’s presence. If you’re lucky, this game can almost feel as if the group itself starts to steer the focus exchanges. Rather than individuals consciously selecting a partner across the circle, their attention will move freely to the fellow company member who is clearly primed and receptive. Similarly, if someone else was inadvertently overlooked in such a moment, the group quickly finds a way to honor their presence and sends the focus along to them. I’m not sure if there’s a way to “coach” getting to this state of graceful effortlessness, but it’s a magical thing when it occurs!
In Performance
An added bonus to this warm-up is that by the end of it, most players will have had at least a small moment of eye contact and connection with the majority of their fellow teammates. This is a simple but potentially profound way to start to forge those all-too-important bonds that create strong ensembles and generous rehearsal processes.
Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
Photo Credit: Scott Cook
© 2022 David Charles/ImprovDr
Connected Concept: Rehearsal Etiquette
It’s important to set clear expectations when running rehearsals and workshops, and so I give you…
Ten Rehearsal Etiquette Pointers…
This is just a taste of this entry/concept. Go here for more information.
Related Entries: Acting, Ensemble, Postmortem Antonyms: Bad Habits Synonyms: Teamwork, Professionalism
Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
© 2022 David Charles/ImprovDr
Connected Game: Simultaneous Clap
Also known as just Questions, this language dynamic can work as a challenging short-form scenic game, a fun character overlay, or as a fast-paced decider. This entry assumes the latter focus: take a glance at my earlier entry on this game’s funhouse mirror partner, Scene Without Questions here, for pertinent tips on a more scenic approach if that’s your preference or need.
The Basics
Can you imagine a game where characters can only speak in the form of questions? Would it surprise you that failing to do so would result in your elimination from the scene? Who will ultimately remain to represent their team after the battle of questions and emerge as the victor? Is this definition clear, or do you need more information? Did you see what I did there? Is this amusing anyone anymore at this stage?
Example
Opposing teams (or perhaps a handful of representatives if you’re playing with a larger cast) receive “Kindergarten” as their suggestion. Players A and B represent the first team, with Players C and D playing for the second. Players A and C begin as an overwhelmed teacher and overstimulated child, respectively.
Player A: “Weeraya, can you please put the chalk away?”
Player C: “What are you going to do if I don’t?!”
Player A: “Do I need to call your parents again? Don’t you remember that they were very unhappy with you last time?”
Player C thinks about this for a second…
Player C: “Is threatening a child really appropriate?”
Player A: “Can’t you see all the other children have gone outside for play time?”
Player C: (starting to draw on the walls) “Why can’t I just play in here with the chalk? Can’t you see I want to stay inside?”
Player A: “Do I have to count to three…?”
Player C: “Can you?”
Player A: “I don’t get paid enough for this!”
Caller: (in response to audience reactions, cueing the elimination) “Teacher.”
Player A, as the flustered teacher, leaves the scene in character. Their teammate enters in their stead (but as a new character).
Player B: (as the supervisor) “Haven’t we talked about this, Weeraya?”
Player C: “Please, can’t I just play inside?”
Player B: “Are you going to apologize to Ms. Riley…?”
The Focus
There are some mental gymnastics at the core of the game as players must quickly respond in the form of a question while also keeping some forward scenic momentum. Doing both at the same time with finesse is no small task! When used as a decider, avoid having teammates playing opposite each other in the scene for any protracted period of time, and a caller should clearly announce infractions. (The audience can also assist in this regard by being cued to groan or make a game show buzzer sound.) Vignettes needn’t consist strictly of pairs, but I find this tightened focus helpful and energizing.
Traps and Tips
1.) Does every offer need to be a question? In short, yes. This doesn’t mean that players can’t and shouldn’t also deploy vibrant physical and emotional choices, but when they speak, every sentence needs to function clearly as a question. (It follows that if you provide two sentences in a row that both must function independently as questions as well.) Using loaded or detailed questions that include strong offers will serve you and the scene better than vague musings. Just as is the case in any improv scene, “Are you eating the red playdough again?” offers more potential than “What are you doing?” Verbal restriction games can easily become talking head scenes, so strive to keep other storytelling elements dynamically in play as well as this just adds to the impressiveness!
2.) Can I remain silent if I don’t know what to say? When used as a decider, it’s typically good form to bounce back and forth between speakers with some predictable regularity, hence the tradition of treating the scene primarily as a two-person exchange until someone is eliminated. A brief moment of strategic silence can add some tension and playfulness, but prolonged silence should be noted by the caller and result in expulsion, especially if the scenic spark is petering out to little more than an ember. If you’re really lost for words, it can serve the scene to just boldly say anything in character and take the resulting elimination with relief and good humor.
3.) Are there cheats or wimps that I should avoid? When I serve as the caller or facilitator there are a handful of habits that I issue warnings for and ultimately use to eliminate players, especially if the decider is going long or one team or player is dominating. Repeating the same form of question or sentence structure dulls the challenge: “Can you go outside?” followed by “Can you leave me alone?” followed by “Can you follow instructions?” followed by “Can you be a better teacher?” By the third or fourth “can,” it can start to feel like a cop out, particularly if this has been occurring a lot in the scene thus far. Tag questions can also prove problematic (or just provide an opportunity to expel players as needed): “That isn’t a very nice way to talk to your teacher now, is it?” Non sequiturs that don’t add or strongly connect to the current action also degrade the story arc. Similarly, just throwing on an upward inflection to the end of a line, while often clever, is worth calling out usually as well?!
4.) How about any strategies to raise the level of attack? I find this dynamic infinitely more accessible and enjoyable when I have quickly established my deal and objective as a character. Once you know your want, then most of your questions can serve as tactics fighting to move you towards this goal. To prevent a stalling tempo, it helps to just launch into your sentences with a brave leap rather than attempting to solve each language riddle before making a sound. Grabbing at a question word – who, how, what, where, which, why, is, do, could, will… – and then seeing where it takes you is a great and user-friendly way to commit. If you end up running dry before the end of the sentence, then so be it… Just take the elimination with grace and embrace your exit. Unquestionably, if you play to lose by jumping headfirst into each speech act with complete abandon, you and the audience will have more fun.
5.) Does this game work differently when played as a scene rather than a decider? As a decider, you’ll typically have one representative from each team facing off against each other and then shuffling through the remaining players. I prefer playing this continuously as one long scene with multiple eliminations and entrances, but others like discrete vignettes that restart anew, perhaps grabbing a different ask-for each time along the way. The former style allows for a more impressive and cohesive story, while the latter provides an opportunity for more fast-paced variety. While I’ve mainly seen and utilized this dynamic as a decider, with playfully adept improvisers, there’s no reason you couldn’t successfully slate it in a show as a scene. My Scene Without Questions post here offers helpful pointers for ways to structure infraction penalties.
In Performance
Is it a challenge to move a scene forward only through the use of questions? Could such an experience helpfully reduce the stigma of asking questions on the improv stage while simultaneously reinforcing the import of assumptions and acceptance? Will audiences delight in watching players reveling in verbal virtuosity? Are you already using this as a short-form decider or scenic handle? Do you have any lingering… questions?
Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Have you already joined my Facebook group here?
Photo Credit: Tony Firriolo
© 2022 David Charles/ImprovDr
Connected Concept: Questions
Most improv schools (rightly) warn of nervously asking Questions on stage as the habit can tend to put the creative burden on your scene partners. That being said, there are…
Six Great Times to Ask a Question…
This is just a taste of this entry/concept. Go here for more information.
Related Entries: Cartooning, Consent, Initiation, Offer, Speaking Your Truth, Specificity, Subtext Antonyms: Assumption
Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
Photo Credit: Tony Firriolo
© 2022 David Charles/ImprovDr
Connected Game: Questions Only
I first encountered this scenic format at Players Workshop of the Second City but once you become familiar with Inappropriate Behavior you realize just how much this dynamic is a mainstay of sitcoms and comedic movies. Coupled with some strategic Punching Up, the format ignites the action in even more powerful ways and opens up a broader (and less problematic) field of play.
The Basics
I typically teach this with a more sketch comedy approach, providing the players with a quick brainstorming session to determine a basic who, what, and where (or CROW) as this is how I first encountered the structure. If you take this approach, players should select a location or situation that has a clear built-in sense of decorum, and one improviser should volunteer to serve as the outlier. (For what it’s worth, more extroverted improvisers tend to clamor for this opportunity but enabling introverts to take on this role often opens up more gentle and well-paced scenic arcs.) This same basic launching point could certainly be elicited from an audience instead as a traditional ask-for or just discovered in the flow of a long-form piece or open scene. The vignette plays out with team members creating and honoring the societal norms inherent in the foundational locale. The outlier, typically entering a few beats into the scene, gradually infuses the action with increasingly inappropriate behavior that breaches the expected codes of conduct. The choices slowly escalate throwing the other characters into various hues of disarray.
Example
The lights rise on a funeral home with a smattering of attendees sitting quietly. It’s clear that no one knew the deceased particularly well (nor each other for that matter.) The tone is strained but respectful.
Player A: (in hushed tones) “I feel bad that I really haven’t seen much of him in years. It was almost by accident I learned of his passing.”
Player B: (in a similar whispered voice) “He was a very private person. We talked occasionally on the phone, although my life has gotten so busy recently…”
Player C, an attendant, quietly approaches the attendees.
Player C: (quietly) “I noticed you both didn’t have a program.”
Player A: “Thank you so much.”
Player B: “That’s a lovely photo of him.”
Player C: (kindly) “I’m glad you both could make it.”
A slightly disheveled Player D enters the room with a surprising burst of energy…
Player D: (full voiced) “Well, I s’pose this is finally goodbye!”
Player A and B share an incongruous look. Player C approaches D with a program.
Player D: “No thanks. It’ll just end up sitting in my car for months before I throw it away.”
Player B: (whispering as before) “I think that’s his best friend from the living community…”
Player D, despite the full array of open seats starts to squeeze between A and B.
Player D: “Make some room there…”
Player A: (surprised, but pleasant) “Oh, yes, of course…”
The Focus
Enjoy the evolving tension between the social norms and the outlier’s behavior. My example is inspired by a scene I experienced as a teacher while at Louisiana State University that has stayed with me over 20 years later. In particular, I fondly recall the choices of the miscreant character, played by Preston Lorio, who by the end of the scene had straddled the body of the deceased in an effort to change suits with him, much to the chagrin of the other assembled guests.
Traps and Tips
1.) Lay the behavioral groundwork. It’s difficult for the misbehaver to challenge the status quo if these preferred behaviors aren’t clearly and strongly already present in the scene (and inherently understood by your audience). Those playing into the norms should do so robustly. If other characters start to also question the social “rules” in play, especially as the scene begins, it becomes much more difficult for the inappropriate behavior to land and build. For example, if the initial funeral attendees exuded a causal or carefree quality rather than the hushed tones of reverence, then Player D’s entrance would not effectively herald the turmoil to follow. Much of the success of the outlier and, subsequently of the scene itself, lies in the hands of the “straight” or “civilized” characters who model what society has deemed as decorous. Don’t overlook or undervalue the import and potential that emerges from this facet of the scene.
2.) React honestly to etiquette breaches. There is a delicate balancing act when you assume the normative roles: if you ignore the strange behaviors, then you can quickly become irrelevant passengers in the scene; if you take great umbrage at every small departure from established custom, then you can inadvertently squelch the rising action. Seek the middle ground. React honestly while also using the very strictures of the formal scenario to moderate your own character’s choices. If someone starts talking loudly at a service you would certainly notice and react, but this might be with a judging look, nudge to your scene partner, or recommitment to your own whispered quality of speech. Without these subtextual signals the contrast between what is and isn’t expected can become dulled and less impactful.
3.) Give the outlier room and permission to play. Connected to the above thought, it can be tempting (and logical) to want to quickly shut down the odd behavior of the designated social deviant. This is another complex dynamic. Yes, by the scene’s conclusion the outlier might become expelled from the scene or outnumbered by a growing chorus seeking civility. As the scene takes its first steps, however, it can prove challenging for the misbehaver if they are met with immovable obstacles representing the status quo. If Player C as the attendant immediately and sternly calls security to have Player D removed, then the scene could soon evaporate or become bogged down by inactive negotiations. Instead, provide room and opportunities for the “different” character to explore. Once they find a promising trajectory, it’s not uncommon for the scene to heavily favor them in terms of stage time in a technical sense (they may take on nearly half the dialogue, for example) but players shouldn’t overlook the power and contribution of strong reactions and emotional presence. It’s generous for the outlier to return this focus favor by delaying their initial entrance a little as this gives others room to establish their own games and given circumstances before the train inevitably starts to derail.
4.) Use the curve of absurdity. If this term is unfamiliar, you can read a little more about it here, but in short it advocates beginning our scenes close to reality and then gently ramping up the level of unexpected behavior. One of the reasons the inspiration for my example scene has stuck with me all these years later is that the team so carefully let the absurdity of the story grow with each move. When you’re marked as the inappropriate behaver it can prove tempting to hit the stage with your strongest and most egregious choice right from the get-go, but this will rarely give you anywhere to climb. Rather, start with small breaches of etiquette: Player D could have entered yelling but instead just used an everyday vocal quality which is enough to be seen as different. Similarly, they didn’t lie on the floor or immediately go and sit in the coffin but broke norms by not sitting at a suitable distance from the other attendees. Especially in situations where the audience is not privy beforehand to the dynamic in question, they need to learn the game as it unfolds, and the final larger-than-life moves must be earned.
In Performance
Played with astuteness this game will say as much if not more about the “normal” and expected behaviors as it does about the choices of the social misfit. I hesitated to use the funeral example as on the page it can appear as if the scene is making fun of grief or loss whereas in performance it emerged quite clearly that the target was the suffocating pomp and impersonal nature of many Western funeral traditions. If the funeral was a truly tragic affair, the scene would have quickly felt inappropriate in all the wrong kinds of ways. Hence the import of displaying some care in selecting the event or facet of social life that you want to depict through this warped satiric mirror.
Cheers, David Charles.
www.improvdr.com
Join my Facebook group here.
Photo Credit: Tony Firriolo
© 2022 David Charles/ImprovDr
Connected Concept: Punching Up
ImprovDr.com 