why can't i watch improv right now?

[beardedlamb]

i think i can't watch improv anymore.

i have a hard time enjoying an improv show unless i feel really blown away by it. i don't know why this is. i do remember a similar syndrome when i was studying film in college. i wasn't able to enjoy films after a certain point because i was so critical of what i was watching i couldn't suspend my disbelief. i was either impressed with a cool shot or annoyed at the poor choice of angle.

this is not a totally new development. it has been slowly growing in intensity to its current state of near total freeze up. i find myself needing to sit near the back, so my hypercritical reactions (and non-reactions) don't affect the audience behind me and so i can escape to a place where i can regroup and let my mind wander.

i feel like an asshole for this. i know some people have the same inclinations but i feel like mine have gotten more ridiculous. it's to the point that i can be enjoying a show perfectly fine one moment and then a few bad choices make me want to gnaw my hand off and itt akes forever for me to get back in their good graces.

does this just mean i'm a grizzled veteran now? a jaded romanticizing prick? a regular prick?

normally i wouldn't subject the forums to this kind of thing but i can't get into my blog right now and i have to write this out somewhere.

thanks for listening,
beard


silver-lining EDIT: I wrote this last week but i saw a group at the UCB saturday night in new york that was really good and i didn't want to kill myself during the show. this was great.

[yams]

i'd say not to worry. it's bound to happen when you immerse yourself so deeply in something that you're constantly around. you don't really have room to think about much else. maybe you just need some space? "you" time? or maybe i'm stupid. i'd just hate for you to be jaded by something you love so much.

[Brian Boyko]

Usually when I get like this I stop going to Improv shows but I continue hanging out with Improv friends so that I don't lose track of them.

-- Brian.

[TexasImprovMassacre]

sounds like its time for you to make your own improv

[kbadr]

Who'd you see at UCB?

I'm kinda the same way. I've become hyper-critical of shows lately (like, in the last month.) I don't think it's a bad thing. I just know what I like and know when something turns me off.

[mpbrockman]

Although we're not quite in the same branch of entertainment I've had a strikingly similar experience in regard to live music. I used to love to perform live and watch others perform live. I would always be more aware of the technical aspects than the average listener but I could still enjoy the show. Over the years that's changed and rarely can I be motivated to go see any live music. I'm not sure why, but I have a theory:

I started running out of things to learn. As skill and experience increase the likelihood of a "wow" moment decrease (unless you're watching really high-level stuff). When, because of your hard-earned knowledge you can anticipate every beat, where every theme is going, and you understand technically what is happening and why - watching others who may yet be working their way through some of these issues becomes a bit boring, even painful. That's not being an asshole - that's human nature.

I don't think it's the beginning of "jadedness" either. I think it's the beginning of mastery. "Jadedness" is when you think there are no more "wow" moments and "ego/prick-ness" is when you think you're too good to have them and ridicule those who do. Mastery means you have to work harder for them because you've got the drill down.

I think a lot of creatives run into this wall at some point. Maybe you can never really stop learning but the curve starts getting flatter and flatter. Solutions vary - and I'll be interested to see what everyone else thinks of lamb's post.

[DollarBill]

As skill and experience increase the likelihood of a "wow" moment decrease (unless you're watching really high-level stuff).

That's interesting. I have a pretty good understanding of music theory (and improv theory) and I don't feel the same way at all. Just because I know exactly what's coming or what's going on, doesn't always ruin the experience for me. In fact, it makes it way better sometimes. I think there's a lot to be said for style. Two musicians might have complete mastery of an instrument, but you might prefer one over the other simply because of the style they choose to play with.

I went through a phase where I only wanted to be exposed to "high art", but then I got over myself and learned to enjoy whatever just really moves me. I was denying some basic feelings. Now I can enjoy all kinds of art for different reasons. It's much more fulfilling. To me, anyway. To each their own.

[Spaztique]

I have to agree with what Bill said about how it's still possible enjoy an art after mastering it (if not enjoy it more).

There's a lot of improv troupes I don't find very entertaining, either. I think it's a matter of seeing the right improv troupes at the right times, but, more importantly, it's also about the troupe's dynamics for solving regular improv problems. My top problems with most improv troupes, for example...
1. Some troupes try to put way too much realism and seriousness in their acts. Bad improv troupes will put very little emphasis on humor and simply do improvised dramas with overly preachy messages, and they come off as bad improv. One reason I really like PGraph is because they manage to properly balance seriousness and comedy.
2. Some troupes provide little to no support. A scene will drag on for up to ten minutes and nobody will edit or jump in and save the day. Most good troupes know when to jump and help the other players, such as I've seen Cody do many times in Look Cookie, and some really entertaining scenes involve practically the entire troupe, such as the bubble flood skit that Improv For Evil once did in their Apocalypse run.
3. Some troupes drag their scenes on for way too long and never find a proper note to end on. This also goes hand-in-hand with not being able to edit quick enough, but also apart of bad improv. One reason I really like The Knuckleball Now is because the scenes are all edited perfectly and quickly, and on the other end of the spectrum, Coldtowne can manage to keep a 20-minute scene fresh as possible.
4. Some troupes remain as ambiguous as possible. The entire skits are nothing but pronouns and verbs, talking about feelings. As I've heard many times during the Tuesday Night Jam, specificity kills ambiguity.

What are your biggest problems with the improv you see?

[arthursimone]

I'm lucky enough to have the luxury of jumping from discipline to discipline; whenever I'm improv-ed out, I gorge myself with art theory, and vice versa. I gotta say everything informs everything and it's a nice path to be on.

Nothing wrong with getting tired of anything you love, nobody's that insane. Go see some concerts, some plays, bring back some ideas to apply to improv when you mentally return!

[beardedlamb]

the group was reuben williams.

just to be clear, i'm not tired of performing, teaching, thinking, or talking about improv. i just have trouble watching it right now.

[Asaf]

Reuben Williams is a great team.

Out of curiousity, did you enjoy their show because they surprised you with the kind of moves they made, or because they totally fell in line with what you have lately been focusing on improv-wise yourself?

I find that I can get into one of those two patterns. Needing to be surprised or needing to be affirmed.

[York99]

Jeremy, I'll say this: I don't envy what you've had to go through lately with watching all those submissions for OoB.

1. That's a LOT of improv to watch
2. Even good improv can be extremely dull when watching it on video
3. I will bet that a lot of those videos were not good improv to begin with
4. You HAD to be critical of those because you WERE judging them for various reasons

I would be surprised if you were NOT burned out on watching improv right now.

[nadine]

*ponder*

so some people i know, including my boyfriend, is hyper-critical with movies. I just learn not to take them with me to see particular movies.

Like for example.... romantic comedies, shrek, or other eye-candies. I enjoy them, and laugh at the jokes, and it's ok. I don't think I've bad taste. I know what I like in food, improv, movies, books. I just love movies that a lot of indie snots don't.

As for improv: I actually try to avoid watching improv.. primarily because I need a life outside improv. And I get easily bored.

I've noticed that in moments I'm not bored it's because:

- The troupe is a longform narrative troupe like pgraph or Get up (yes, i admit it, i'm nadine, and i'm a narrativelongform-aholic)

- The troupe is not a longform narrative troupe, But they're having so much FUN on stage it's noticable and infectious, and keeps me captivated.

- The troupe is really smart, and makes obscure historical/political references that panders to my intellectual snot.

- I'm in a really good mood.

[beardedlamb]

Out of curiousity, did you enjoy their show because they surprised you with the kind of moves they made, or because they totally fell in line with what you have lately been focusing on improv-wise yourself?

it was that they were technically very good and have mastered the skillset, but also and this may be what tipped it for me, they were all very funny individually. one of these without the other is painful for me, but they had both.

[starkserious]

I hear you mr. lamb. I've been around improv a long time and noticed a couple of years ago I had trouble watching improv shows party because I was burned out and not enjoying the improv as much as I had in the past. I like the people! I had the same thing happen when I was doing lots of stand up. I couldn't go to open mikes anymore because I couldn't stand to see all the shitty comics on stage, but I loved hanging out with my comedy buds. I don't seem have that as much with the improv community. i have friends but we really don't hang out or talk that much outside my own troupe. I guess that my fault and I'll try to a better at connecting with all you fun people. I did love to watch the masters of comedy when they came to town. I feel the same when I watch the best improv groups here. Lately I've really enjoyed the P-Graph shows. Good work guys! My suggestion is go see the groups that inspire you.