When to edit a scene is an often overlooked discussion for a lot of improv groups, especially new teams. It’s not the most glamorous part of doing improv, but it’s so so important. When we first learn improv it’s often just the thing that the fastest players do when they have a funny idea. As … Read more
Last week I attended How To Teach Improv Inclusively, a four-day intensive led by Stephen Davidson and Monica Gaga, with thoughtful standalone sessions by Tai Campbell and Katy Schutte. I enjoyed the workshop week and had a lovely time; as Stephen invited me to delve a little deeper, I found myself thinking on the “why” … Read more
One of the best things about improv is that it’s full of variety. There’s something in it for lots of different kinds of people, whether it’s a skill they’ll excel at, a particular type of game that they find fun and rewarding, a way of connecting with people, or something else. Because of that variety, … Read more
Following on from my blog post about how to spot someone problematic, this blog is about what to do when someone messes up. Of course, in lots of cases forgiveness is key, but that needs to be balanced with looking out for the safety of our communities. As someone who cares a lot about … Read more
Viewpoints is a vocabulary for co-creation originally invented by Mary Overlie as a way of reinventing dance improvisation and choreography. The six original viewpoints were Space, Shape, Time, Emotion, Movement, and Story. Viewpoints was later expanded and repurposed for theatre by Anne Bogart and Tina Landau, and split into two categories: Physical Viewpoints (Spatial relationship, … Read more
I heard the term ‘community improv’ recently and had a strong emotional reaction to it, and I’ve been pondering why it brought up such strong feelings. For me, I instantly read the expression as derogatory, though I’m not sure that was the tone intended. But why? In the UK we have a tradition of community … Read more
The world is currently reeling because a police officer, Derek Chauvin, killed a black man, George Floyd, while fellow officers passively watched and civilians filming begged him to stop. Of course, we’re horrified. It’s even more horrifying to think that Chauvin had at least 10 official complaints about police brutality and had been involved in … Read more
There’s a difference between a safe space and a held space. When I imagine safe space I imagine a document outlining the rules about how I should behave. When I imagine a held space I imagine a person. For me, that’s a crucial difference. The very phrase, “Safe Space” can be problematic because it implies … Read more
Constructive criticism is something that I find a lot of improvisers struggle with, both giving and receiving. In a way it can feel contrary to the spirit of our art; it’s our job to make our scene partner look good, to accept and build on their choices, to make classes and rehearsals feel safe. … Read more
Something I love about Grindr is the huge variety of people I get to meet. I’ve met people from all over the world, from different social classes, of different ages… I’ve met builders, gym bunnies, students, IT people, people with very little English, waiters, businessmen, and all sorts more. Grindr is diverse in a … Read more
Welcome to part 2 of my series of blog posts about my 2019 new year’s resolution to meet men from Grindr. An odd thing to put on a professional improv website, perhaps, but it’s turned into more of an eye-opening journey than I’d anticipated. I think that a big part of learning to improvise is … Read more
I feel I should begin this post by explaining why I’m posting about a gay sex app on my improv blog. It might seem salacious, or completely irrelevant, but I’ve actually learned quite a lot about myself as a person and as an artist by using this app. I’ve also learned a lot about communities … Read more
The word gender has become a bit complicated. To some people, it just means whether you’re a boy or a girl, or what parts you have. Academically, it means the set of behaviours or feelings associated with one’s gender identity, which can be male, female, trans, non-binary or a host of other things. As an … Read more
The talk: when and how to have difficult conversations with your group, class, or community. 5 quick takeaways: Listen with an open mind Check your ego at the door Establish rules and systems for behaviour Say what needs to be said; it’s worth taking the time If somebody is being talked over, shift focus back … Read more
Privilege and diversity in improv- it’s not just about money Fast ideas to make sure everybody feels good: Ask how people are doing, even if it’s just for a few seconds per student. Make sure everybody who wants a go gets one. If your lesson plan includes pile-in type games*, balance them out with inclusive … Read more
Short-form* improvisation is awesome. It’s at the heart of what we do as a team, and I’d like to tell you about why it’s great. It’s fun. The fast and furious nature of a good short-form show means that players can really focus on having fun (and being funny) in the moment. The biggest and … Read more
There have been a lot of articles and posts from around the improv world lately about gender in improv, and particularly things we can do to make sure our companies and classes are equal opportunity. It’s lovely that there’s so much attention and concern about improvisers being and feeling safe and the need to speak … Read more
This is really something I can’t say enough times, both as an improviser and in my day job teaching and conducting music. The idea that talent is inherent and people are either good at something or they’re not is wildly unhelpful and really misleading; nobody is good at anything without a significant amount of practice, … Read more
This isn’t really a blog post in the traditional sense, but a re-posting of a letter that I recently wrote Colin Mochrie, on the occasion on his daughter’s coming out as Transgender. He replied, and re-posted on his facebook; a really heartening conversation amongst improvisers ensued. His immediate response is below. Dear Colin, I’m a … Read more