Improvisation is fundamentally the skill of creating characters, song lyrics, scenarios, and entire scenes on the fly. It might seem scary to start with such a clean slate, especially if you’re just starting off. However, whether you’re an actor looking to improve on an audition or an aspiring comic, improv may be a valuable foundation for performers of all stripes.
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How then should one enter the situation? We’ll go over the fundamentals of improv, what to anticipate in your first session, and a list of improv exercises you may do to improve in this comprehensive guide.
What is theater improvisation?
The term “improv” refers to a type of live theater in which every element of the performance is created on the fly.
While comic performance isn’t always improvised, improv is frequently humorous. The bulk of comedy on television and in movies are, in fact, written. Sketch shows (SNL, Key & Peele), sitcoms (The Big Bang Theory, Black-ish), late-night programs (The Tonight Show, The Daily Show), and sitcoms (The Big Bang Theory) all use stories and jokes that are written, edited, and rewritten, practiced, and polished before they are performed in front of a live and at-home audience. Furthermore, even if performers may give spontaneous one-liners for comedy film directors like Paul Feig and Judd Apatow, they nonetheless serve the current plot.
In contrast, improvisational comedy is fully generated in the moment. After then, improv may be broadly classified into two types: long-form and short-form.
Long-form improv versus short-form
Improvisation in a short form
Short-form improv is a type of improv where performers use pre-made scenarios or “games” to produce spontaneous humor on shows like MTV’s “Wild ‘n Out” and Whose Line Is It Anyway?” Congratulations! You’ve performed short-form improv comedy if you’ve ever played charades or composed a song.
Extended-form improvisation
On the other hand, “long-form” improv doesn’t rely on canned jokes or games. Long-form improv’s fundamental building block is a “scene.” Even though scenes often include two improvisers, a scene can be improvised by one person (even by twenty, though a large stage would be required). A well-executed long-form scenario may easily pass for written sketch humor when taken out of context, but everything is, of course, improvised, even the clothes and props, which are mimed.
What in improv is a Harold?
Typically, improv groups, also known as “teams,” start by asking the audience for a single word proposal. This idea serves as the basis for a number of scenes that make up a “piece” or “form.” Consider a form as a structured play lasting between twenty and sixty minutes. The Harold is maybe the most used form. Harold is a long-form improv framework wherein individual scenes are improvised and then repeated again. The Harold culminates at its best when the three sequences naturally and unexpectedly come together. Fun fact: A Harold is the format of most “Seinfeld” episodes.
A synopsis of improvised comedy
The history of improv as we know it began in the mid-1900s, although having origins in the 16th-century commedia dell’arte. It was at this time that groups like Second City, the Committee, and the Compass Players—now iconic—were founded. Exercises and methods from Viola Spolin’s 1963 book “Improvisation for the Theater,” which are being employed by performers, teachers, and even psychologists today, contributed to improv’s popularity.
Simultaneously, a guy by the name of Del Close was pushing the limits of short-form. His life was too rich and intricate to go into here, but suffice it to say that, prior to his death in 1999, he worked as a fire-eater, wrote a series for DC Comics, assisted in creating the Harold, was the house metaphysician on “SNL,” battled addiction, and mentored some of the funniest actors in the annals of show business. For a deeper look at the father of long-form, see Jeff Griggs’ “Guru: My Days with Del Close.” Additionally, Close co-wrote “Truth In Comedy,” which is a wonderful place to start if you’re interested in learning more about the larger background, theory, and practice of long-form improv.
The fundamentals of improv
Two words best describe the fundamental improv rule: “Yes, and.” It is your responsibility to expand on anything your partner says throughout a scene by extending (“and”) and agreeing with them. Establishing characters and storyline through cooperation (“yes, and”) as opposed to negation (“no, but”) is essential for good improv.
Of course, improv is much more than merely saying “yes, and.” Here are three other fundamental improv guidelines to remember:
Make decisions. In order to begin “yes-ing” and “and-ing,” you must first establish the facts of the situation. The secret is to set up three points with your partner at the beginning of the scene: who you are playing, where the scene is being set, and what is the main “conflict” (which could be anything that builds tension between or for the characters and moves the scene along).
Actively listen. In any acting style, listening is essential, but it becomes much more critical when there is no script. In improv, the majority of the scene is lost if you are not paying attention to your scene partner.
Take a physical step. Engage fully with the situation and the area (even if it’s simply an empty stage) by using your body. Keep in mind the lesson you learned from your middle school English teacher: “Show, don’t tell.” The better the scene plays, the more you can demonstrate what you’re doing, whether it’s engaging with invisible objects or responding to scene aspects that the audience must conceive.