Improv Comedy
What?! There are rules?
I’ve known Mitch since he was five. He’s 23 now. In some ways he’s the same kid I’ve always known, but in others, he’s surprised me.
Mitch has always been kinda quiet. He’s responsible and tidy — one of those kids who always did his homework without a fight and brought home report cards filled with the first letter of the alphabet. He’d get real mad at his friends if they left gum wrappers or soda cans in his car. If he was feeling particularly grumpy, he’d stop letting them hitch a ride for a while.
When Mitch finished high school, he went to college clear across the country. Like I said, he was smart and dedicated so he got accepted to a real prestigious university. I’ve got to say I was pretty surprised when I found out he’d joined an improvisational comedy group at college. The puzzle piece didn’t seem to fit until I found out that studies show a majority of comedians are introverts who spend a lot of time observing and thinking. Their ability to see issues from different points of view is an asset in developing material with universal appeal. Now I can see why Mitch was drawn to improv. Maybe an audience laughing in response to his quick wit scratches an itch he couldn’t reach.
There’s a whole bunch of freedom in improv comedy, but there are also some rules. Let’s check those out!
Rule #1: Always AGREE! Say YES to your partner.
For example:
If your partner says, “Hey — What do you think of my new fancy hat?”
And you reply, “What hat? You’re not wearing a hat!” You’ve left your partner hanging. By not agreeing to play the game, your partner is left wondering where to go next and if you’ll play the game on her next line.
What if instead you replied, “The fruit on that hat looks so good I could eat it!”
Then, knowing you’re moving forward together she can come back with, “Only a goat would eat plastic fruit. Are you a goat?”
Rule #2: Say YES, No! say YES — — AND…..
In the example above, if you simply replied, “Yeah, nice hat,” your partner is responsible for creating the next step forward! You need to have some fun, too. Give your partner something to work with — like fruit on a hat.
Rule #3: Make Statements
If you only ask questions — Where are we? What time is it? Who are you? What’s in the box? — all of the creative lifting is left to your partner. Say something like — I see we’re in Rome. It’s the witching hour when goblins come out to play. There’s an anaconda in the box — wanna open it?
If you’ve agreed to play the improv game — improvise! Get wild and crazy because you’re always saved by rule #4.
Rule #4: There are no mistakes, only opportunities.
Let’s say your partner is pretending to put on mascara and you ask her if she’s lost her contact — she’ll roll with it. Or, maybe you’re pretending to ride a bike and your partner asks why your horse is trotting so slow — hmmm, this could be interesting.
Great discoveries in life and comedy come from accidents!
Wow — writing these things down (thanks Tina Fey) while thinking about Mitch makes it clear that improv is a great fit for him. He’s a rule follower who’d never leave his partner hanging like a pair of tube socks on the line. He thinks wide and deep so he has a vast vat of ideas to pull from. And, he could use a little freedom from his neat and tidy persona — lighten up — no mistakes, just opportunities.
I think we could all apply the improvisational Rules of Agreement to everyday life — as a spouse, parent, employee, boss, neighbor, or friend.
#1: Agree — Say Yes!
#2: Say Yes — And…
#3: Contribute by making statements.
#4: There are no mistakes — just opportunities!
Next time you’re in the check out and your preschooler wants tic-tacs, try “Yes! — and you may have five of them after lunch — I love you to the moon and back.”
Now, if on the way home you drive past a farm and that same preschooler wants a pony, you’re going to have to get creative. I know the easy thing is just to say “no!” But …you could try: “Yes! The next time we go to the zoo you can ride a pony — and have popcorn — I love you to the moon and back.”
You get the idea. How creative can you be? Improvise the life you want to live by following the Rules of Agreement. ;)
