I don’t believe you
Posted by Plague | Filed under Coach's Corner, Talkin' Shop - We talk improv. Any questions you want discussed can be. Email us @ captain@ussrocknroll.com., The Plague
The problem is that we make choices as improvisers that are just insane. When monkeys and robots and deer mice (oh my!) are flying airplanes and jerking each other off… the audience just goes into “yeah right” mode. “Why should I care? It’s maybe funny if one of the members on stage can get the word “poop” or “boobs” into the scene… but otherwise it’s just a bunch of nonsense.”
COACHES!!!
It’s up to you to steer your players clear of bananas on bananas. If the players in your rehearsal are making choices that are just plain crazy town… call them out on it! It will stop the scene for a second, but it will help your improviser to make a truer choice. Just, literally, tell them from the side, “I don’t believe you.”
Did she pull a monkey out of her pocket? You probably don’t believe that. – UNLESS!
She’s a master magician. The best in her field. She’s trained her monkey to hide up her sleeve many years ago and she did this same trick in front of the president.
Did her baby drop out of her skirt and she nonchalantly went back to work? You probably don’t believe that. – UNLESS!
She’s a sworn party girl who’s miscarried 4 times. The entire office is trying to get her to go home and take the rest of the day off, but she’s meeting the girls after work and doesn’t want to miss the fun.
Your players can make crazy choices… as long as they give them EXTREME weight. If you don’t believe someone it’s probably because they are not treating it as “real.” If there’s a monkey up her sleeve… then that’s totally cool, as long as she sells the fact that there’s REALLY A MONKEY up her sleeve.
Get the difference?
Coaches, it’s up to you to call your team out on this stuff. We’re the ones helping to shape what goes up on stage every night. If players are allowed to get away with bullshit, then that’s what they’ll do. Mostly just because they think it’s okay. But here’s the thing… it’s not. Gentle side coaching will do the trick. Always reinforce the positive after. Improvisers are gentle. But always call us out on our shit. That’s how we get better.
One Response to “I don’t believe you”
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Hawkins Says:
August 19th, 2009 at 5:49 pmCoaching on straight/absurd will also help. Does no good if someone lets it go unnoticed.
For now, the beatings will continue until morale improves.
