The Safe Zone
Posted by dandy | Filed under Talkin' Shop - We talk improv. Any questions you want discussed can be. Email us @ captain@ussrocknroll.com., The Dandy
Improv has a dead zone. It is the middle ground; a vast waist land of scenes, shows and choices (or more likely non-choices) that never had a chance. But we keep going there. We keep settling, putting our flags down and trying to make a go of it is the Safe Zone.
The reason is clear. To make a bold choice, any bold choice, requires us to get over our fears – to trust ourselves. So mostly we don’t. We stand the most appropriate distance from each other. Plant our feet and talk, hoping upon hope that something grows. Sometimes it does, sometimes that zinger about “space aids” really hits. But much more likely you have just bought a condo in downtown Fizzle-City, USA . The Safe Zone is an illusion. It hypnotizes us, bogs us down, pulls us in and sinks us.
But what if we made a choice? A strong, decisive, choice. What if we just decided that we felt like standing as close to our scene partner as possible? We wouldn’t know what the scene was going to be about. We would be forced to make that up, to improvise it (gasp!). But the one thing that would certainly happen is that there would be a bolt of energy shot between you and your partner. It would ripple out into the rest of your cast and the audience. We’d all be paying attention. And that is a good start. From this spark, life can grow. Sure, this scene can die too. But you have a chance.
I understand why the Safe Zone is so popular. I really do. Out in our muggle (non-improv) lives we train ourselves to blend in, not say too much, swallow emotions, be appropriate. This keeps us alive. It isn’t a bad thing. But it has wrapped its greedy fingers around the throats of a LOT of improv scenes. Our muggle rules just don’t work up there. We watch because we want to see you say what we can’t say to our bosses. We want you to tell that girl you love, that you love her and see how it goes. We want to know what happens if you stand nose to nose with somebody. And this break from our “normal” causes us to take notice. It is the spark. That is the energy that I am talking about, and it is not limited to close standing (smart ass). Stand far, whisper, talk with your tongue hanging out, sing, do almost anything. Just make a choice. A full, complete choice and own it.
As improvisers we get in our heads about making the “right choice.” Something about taking classes and rehearsing and talking and trying makes us believe there is a right and a wrong way to do it. Sure, there are better and worse choices. But the first step is to make any choice. From there we can assess and refine. The problem with trying to do it right is that it creates fear and that fear is the Safe Zone’s best salesman. The trick is that you can use it to your advantage. The next time you feel this fear, recognize what it is and let it be the reason that you take a risk. Let it guide you. Because wouldn’t you rather go down fighting? Or maybe you really like your cool condo in the Safe Zone. What do I know?
Have a Dandy of a day.
6 Responses to “The Safe Zone”
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Drew Says:
December 1st, 2009 at 7:39 pmGood stuff! I'm personally focusing on finding the balance between making a choice and knowing that the choice is already made, putting myself in that fun reactive state. It's just splitting hairs but looking at it from both sides helps me.
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RC Fill Says:
December 1st, 2009 at 10:36 pmStuff inside of things
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TheDandy Says:
December 1st, 2009 at 10:41 pmFor the sake of argument I would say that even if you are reacting, you still need to react decisively and boldly. I am not suggesting that people plan more out before they go into scenes. Just that whatever choices you are making, make them more confidently and completely.
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TheDandy Says:
December 1st, 2009 at 10:48 pmJust to be clear, I am not in favor of planning more out before going into a scene if that is how it read to you Drew. Reacting is great. Just react with bold, clear choices. But the need to make those choices is still just as necessary. We spend too much time in life, and sadly on stage, at a 4, 5 or a 6. Let's get some more 1's and 9's out there. React away, just don't do it safe style.
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TheDandy Says:
December 1st, 2009 at 11:56 pmIf it seems like I posted 2 VERY similar comments, it's because I believed the first one was lost in cyber-space so I tried to remember what I had just written. Turns out they are both alive and well.
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TheDandy Says:
December 1st, 2009 at 11:57 pmHey, what's inside that thing? Oh, it's just a bunch of stuff.
