long form vs everything else

[kaci_beeler]

I think over explaining things that don't necc. need an explaination kills the energy and treats the audience like, well, less-than-smart.

Yeah. I think set-ups can flavor or condemn a show.

A show with a gimmick needs very little, such as a Cops & Lawyers, Start Trekkin', or Whirlded News. People get the gimmick and that's probably why they came to begin with.
But I think, as Bob said, there is a certain "base-level" explanation that must be made for people new to improv in less format-driven shows. You don't need to explain "This is called a revolving door edit and it means this and we'll be doing an Armando which follows this pattern," but I still maintain that a lot of people confuse "suggestion to inspire our show" with "this will be a show about your suggestion."
I've seen it both in reviews and in person when an audience member doesn't understand why their suggestion was not used verbatim or in some overt way. This is where I think a two sentence intro (and the demeanor in which the suggestion is taken) can often go farther to audience joyment than just saying "Can I get a word beginning with B? When the lights come up."
(Because then a number of people will expect the show to literally be about "bees" not merely "inspired" by the word.)

My 2 cents.

I agree with Wes.
Also.
If you're doing an Armando and you don't say that the monologues are from real life, that bothers me. I think the difference between truth and fiction can be very good for comedy. People like brief explantions for unfamiliar things.
Take a menu at a restaurant for instance, if the item is a hamburger, there may or may not be an explanation, due to the popularity of the item but if you have Santa Fe Chicken Surprise, most people are going to want to know what's in it before they take a bite.
In the same vain, some audiences members won't bite (engage themselves in your show) if you don't help to inform them a little bit.

[Jastroch]

I know what you're saying. I'm by no means advocating a "no explaination" policy. I just think people are smarter than we often give them credit.

I think it's a hosts job to say, "You're gonna see some long form improv tonight from 'House Harkonnen and the Gom Jabars' and 'The Similar Silmarillions.' Give it up for those guys!"

I've found we've gotten way more of a response from the audience when we behave like rockstars when we come out. No, "Hey gang, we're gonna play some of our popular hits for you." Just: bang! Show. I think people respond to that, and I think any question they have gets answered, because unless you're doing something like Five Things that REQUIRES a set up, people will figure out that you're telling a story or whatever it is you're doing.

Little Richard didn't come out on stage and say, "I'm gonna play a revved up version of rhythm and blues and country called rock 'n' roll." He just pounded on the damn keys and out came the art. I don't think it's a neccessary component of a performance or artistic endeavor to explain it before hand. It is what it is. If people like it or wanna know more about it or are confused they can ask. If you're making them laugh, they ain't gonna give a shit anyway.

blah blah blah theatrics and playing status games with the audience. See: Hitler.

[shando]

'House Harkonnen and the Gom Jabars' and 'The Similar Silmarillions.' Give it up for those guys!"

Nerd.

[Jastroch]

'House Harkonnen and the Gom Jabars' and 'The Similar Silmarillions.' Give it up for those guys!"

Nerd.

Thanks!

I'd like to amend my last post by saying it applies to an improv theater-slash-regular theater environment. Certainly if you're playing any of the following:

1) An outdoor street fair.
2) A Kindergarten
3) A Summer Camp Expo at a Suburban Mall
4) A Fund Raiser at a Country Club
5) A Bar that regularly features top 40 cover bands of has Jimmy Buffet in the Juke Box
or 6) At a an Old Folks Home, etc...

explainations are probably required.

My first improv show happened at #3 and I was very amused by the fact that all the activities and locations we got for 5 Things had to do with shopping when I did #4.

[Wesley]

I think it's a hosts job to say, "You're gonna see some long form improv tonight from 'House Harkonnen and the Gom Jabars' and 'The Similar Silmarillions.' Give it up for those guys!"

I would see that show in a heartbeat!

House Harkonnen and the Gom Jabbars put Improv for Evil to shame.

(I was always an Ordos fan, but it wasn't official canon.)

[starkserious]

I used to Ref a lot of CSZ shows and I was taught to always explain the games to the audience. Well after a while I found out it was also a fun way to riff with the crowd like stand up comics do in their shows. But realized that wasn't improv, it was about being funny. The audience liked having someone being in charge of the show. Sometimes I enjoyed being a ref more then being a player in the show. But I also got tired of explaining the games, and would say, "Here's a game called whatever, and I'd explain it very fast and say, "if you don't understand now, you'll get it when you see it"... and they always did! I believe audiences can figure that stuff out fast unless they are drunk!

Ask me why Steve Martin doesn't do Stand up Comey anymore, and I'll tell you the story.

I still do stand up comedy and I don't start a set by going, "hey everyone, I'm going tell jokes tonight about my mom, dad, wife, work, college, drugs, sex, homeless people, etc...." I just start telliing jokes.

[York99]

Ask me why Steve Martin doesn't do Stand up Comey anymore, and I'll tell you the story.

Why doesn't Steve Martin do stand-up anymore?

[eplischke]

He is too old.

[York99]

He is too old.

He doesn't NEED to anymore. Why go through the trouble of writing and honing material when someone will pay you a lot of money to perform what someone else wrote?