Austin Improv

Please, people.

We do theatre.

This thread has officially become silly.

Even though Besser's workshop on Thursday involved a lot of sitting around and dissecting terminology and humor and storytelling, I really enjoyed it because I really felt like a veteran of comedy (who's "made it") was really sharing in what he believed to work for him. Many times I think the improv can get in the way of the workshop because people aren't playing in their best environment. Silly mistakes are made, nervous energy, etc...

If I were in a troupe, I would push to drill many of Matt's exercises. And make sure to have a really good talk about what we as a troupe were trying to accomplish with our comedy.

kbadr wrote: This thread has officially become silly.

Am I too late? I just read this for the first time today...
Wow, that drilling of the game thing that Andy described is INSANE!!! I would like to practice that, cuz it's one of the place I feel weakest. The people here are SO fast and good at that.

I gotta say about the blending of styles: I think mixing all styles and doing a tight, fast, fun, varied, playful, realistic narrative show has always been one of the ultimate goals of mine and the people I grew up improvising with. In fact, to me, the ultimate, ultimate, ultimate, would just be to go out on stage and do a show, and whatever pops out could be a form unto itself.

For example: The group takes the stage and the first scene is a death scene. Then someone edits, and starts a scene about why that death happened. And then everyone picks up on it and does a story in reverse without ever talking about it before the show.

Anyway, I'm jealous of the folks that were at the workshop. Sounds like it was totally awesome. It's snowing. frowny-face.

Bill, when I read your posts I imagine you sitting at your computer and saying the words aloud as you type them...

I want to have Bill Stern's improv babies. That is all.

TexasImprovMassacre wrote:Bill, when I read your posts I imagine you saying sitting at your computer saying the words aloud as you type them...

Awesome! Just like in an IMPROV SCENEexclamationpointexclamationpointexclamationpoint

DollarBill wrote:

TexasImprovMassacre wrote:Bill, when I read your posts I imagine you saying sitting at your computer saying the words aloud as you type them...

Awesome! Just like in an IMPROV SCENEexclamationpointexclamationpointexclamationpoint

I form sentences like pro!

I am late to this but I feel strongly!

I don't think the difference is between scripted and sloppy. I think the difference is between the choice that perfectly fulfills the requirements of a predetermined form and the choice that perfectly expresses a unique moment in time.

Sometimes they're the same choice. But sometimes the choice that would perfectly fulfill the requirements of the form as played up to that point is not the same choice that would perfectly represent the groupmind of everyone in the room. The former is never sloppy; the latter might well be, but the point is not the sloppiness but the immediacy.

My favorite improv moments are those that completely surprise me, and if a scene is neatly wrapping up several plot points or several beats of a Harold, it may be very satisfying, but it's not likely to really surprise me. I want to be able to tell it's improv not because it's sloppy but because nobody could have possibly predicted how right that choice would be until the moment it was made.

ratliff wrote: I don't think the difference is between scripted and sloppy. I think the difference is between the choice that perfectly fulfills the requirements of a predetermined form and the choice that perfectly expresses a unique moment in time.
...
My favorite improv moments are those that completely surprise me, and if a scene is neatly wrapping up several plot points or several beats of a Harold, it may be very satisfying, but it's not likely to really surprise me.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mister John Ratliff, speaking words of truth.