I don't like the harold.

[York99]

Gasp! I love the Invocation, too!

I love the invocation in rehearsals. It's a great tool. I think this, perhaps more than organics, alienates non-improviser audiences though. I get embarrassed for the performers when I watch them doing it.

We complain a lot that most people just know "Whose Line" but then we invite them to our shows and put them off immediately by going super gayballs. It's no wonder that long-form struggles to make it to mainstream.

People don't want to see the cow get slaughtered; they want that tasty steak. It's our jobs to deliver a product that is tasty to audiences.

How about this opening: Philosophy Class. It's the same thing as the invocation, but instead of fruity theatre majors, it's slightly more dignified (in the typical audience member's eyes). Get the suggestion and in a classroom or living room set-up, the performers explore that suggestion colored with the language of a philosophy class discussion rather than an abstract black turtleneck-wearing guy that I rolled my eyes at the other day. That's a way to conceal the art and make it palatable for audiences.

Sorry for this slightly out of place tirade, but I think improvisers can be clever enough to get the point of openings out without having to look like non-humans to audience members.

[Marc Majcher]

invocation ... rehearsals ... organics ... embarrassed for the performers ... super gayballs ... tasty steak.

Yes, same here. I have a lot of fun with them, love doing them, in rehearsals or on stage, but I almost always wind up wishing I was somewhere else for a few minutes when I have to sit and watch them performed. And that's as an improviser, who already knows what's going on, and appreciates the purpose and intention behind them - I have difficulty at this point imagining what your average theater-goer thinks of them. Maybe it's all good for them, but personally, for me, I'd be happy going without for a while.

How about this opening: Philosophy Class.

You are a beautiful genius man. I am going to kiss you on the lips the next time I see you. Fair warning.

[starkserious]

harolds are hard to do...they make my brain hurt! They are great when they do work well but it's painful when they suck.

[bradisntclever]

They are great when they do work well but it's painful when they suck.

Can't you say that about all improv, though? Various formats may be difficult to pull off, but it still boils down to: great improv is really fun to watch/play in, while really bad improv makes you want to gouge your eyes out.

[TexasImprovMassacre]

They are great when they do work well but it's painful when they suck.

Can't you say that about all improv, though? Various formats may be difficult to pull off, but it still boils down to: great improv is really fun to watch/play in, while really bad improv makes you want to gouge your eyes out.

Totally true.

If you aren't allowing yourself to be inspired by the possibilities of the format, how can you really commit to it?

[Brian Boyko]

But in performance, it's dreadful. The interregnums are breaks in the action and not as funny as the in-between bits. The in-between bits don't flow organically from one to the next.

What about it is done well and those things do flow organically and everything works?

I thought about that, but if the Harold's done well, you can pretty much assume that another format would have been done just as well or better because of the added difficulty the Harold brings.

[starkserious]

They are great when they do work well but it's painful when they suck.

Can't you say that about all improv, though? Various formats may be difficult to pull off, but it still boils down to: great improv is really fun to watch/play in, while really bad improv makes you want to gouge your eyes out.

Totally true.

If you aren't allowing yourself to be inspired by the possibilities of the format, how can you really commit to it?

Yes I agree...I've done lots of Deconstructions too and I find them easier to do then Harolds but if you aren't into what the themes are or the flow it's pretty hard to pull off. I guess the sames goes for the Harold. Inspiration is key! Inspiration is also fleeting so you got to grab it while it's there and run with it for sake of the show.

I know All improv sucks if done badly, short form, long form...the only saving grace of short form is if a game sucks it's over in 2 minutes and you go to another game.

finding that organic level of a long form is not as easy as it looks on stage. I always found that when we do hit it and things are flowing we've got that group mind going on which is always been mysterious to me.

[TexasImprovMassacre]

But in performance, it's dreadful. The interregnums are breaks in the action and not as funny as the in-between bits. The in-between bits don't flow organically from one to the next.

What about it is done well and those things do flow organically and everything works?

I thought about that, but if the Harold's done well, you can pretty much assume that another format would have been done just as well or better because of the added difficulty the Harold brings.

That's a totally lame, cop out excuse.

Yeah, everyone should keep making dude where's my car because someone trying to make Amadeus is too risky.

...No one ever try to make lasagna. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich would be much easier to make and will therefore always be more satisfying.

[mcnichol]

On an unrelated note, The Smoking Arm is performing tonight at Proctor. Instead of our usual, difficult Harold we'll be running an old episode of the Simpsons on a tv/vcr combo. Guaranteed results.

[slappywhite]

On an unrelated note, The Smoking Arm is performing tonight at Proctor. Instead of our usual, difficult Harold we'll be running an old episode of the Simpsons on a tv/vcr combo. Guaranteed results.

Is it a treehouse of horror? if so I'm there, screw this Improv jazz.

On a side note I have kind of the opposite problem, I don't really like a lot of Improv outside of Harolds. To each His/Her/Their own.

[Marc Majcher]

On an unrelated note, The Smoking Arm is performing tonight at Proctor. Instead of our usual, difficult Harold we'll be running an old episode of the Simpsons on a tv/vcr combo. Guaranteed results.

I hope it's the one where Bart gets into trouble, and then Homer's like, "Doh!". I love that one.

[Asaf]

What about it is done well and those things do flow organically and everything works?

I thought about that, but if the Harold's done well, you can pretty much assume that another format would have been done just as well or better because of the added difficulty the Harold brings.

That's a totally lame, cop out excuse.

Yeah, everyone should keep making dude where's my car because someone trying to make Amadeus is too risky.

...No one ever try to make lasagna. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich would be much easier to make and will therefore always be more satisfying.

That is not a correct analogy. Those things deal with content, not format.

It would be like saying: all meals should be done in the microwave only. it is faster and cleaner that way.

[vine311]

That is not a correct analogy. Those things deal with content, not format.

It would be like saying: all meals should be done in the microwave only. it is faster and cleaner that way.

I prefer toaster ovens.

[starkserious]

Eat it raw..it's better for you!

[TexasImprovMassacre]

I thought about that, but if the Harold's done well, you can pretty much assume that another format would have been done just as well or better because of the added difficulty the Harold brings.

That's a totally lame, cop out excuse.

Yeah, everyone should keep making dude where's my car because someone trying to make Amadeus is too risky.

...No one ever try to make lasagna. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich would be much easier to make and will therefore always be more satisfying.

That is not a correct analogy. Those things deal with content, not format.

It would be like saying: all meals should be done in the microwave only. it is faster and cleaner that way.

I meant that one was more complex than the other. Just like your analogy, by having more elements to want to control you're putting yourself at greater risk for failure, but something cooked on the stove usually tastes better than something cooked in the microwave. I think both my analogies exemplify the increase in risk, increase in the difficulty of the method of preparation, more elements to control...I don't think they're inaccurate