Recently before two performances in Germany, I suggested a couple of ideas that could POSSIBLY be used. Both suggestions were used and both times they were used improperly.
It's interesting to see this happen. And, it happens a lot.
Here's one of the stories:
We were doing a workshop on "True Stories" – Improvisation based in real life stories. We had 24 hours to create a new format (not my favourite way of working). The format we worked on used directors to move their stories forward. One difficulty was to get the group to understand that in many 'directed' formats – Gorilla, Micetro, Super Scene/ Director's Cut, etc etc – that the danger is the improvisers stop taking risks. They don't take initiative to do things in scenes because they feel too reliant on the Director to move them forward.
I said that they should take lots of risks. They should act like IMPRO GODS where each one of them could do or make anything happen whenever they want. IF they made a 'mistake', they could trust that the other improvisers would pull them back.
So, I gave them an example.
I suggested that during the opening, if the people opening the show forgot something or were getting the information wrong, then people from backstage could rush out and playfully restart the show and try to do it better. It's an improvised show so WHY not? Play with ideas and make them better and support the show.
The problem happened when the show started and it was going fine but from backstage there came an improviser who took over from the people introducing the show. There was no problem with the first introduction. They used this "tool" I suggested and it had a negative impact on the show.
When you hear something, DON'T JUST LISTEN TO IT… THINK about it. It's not a rule you are hearing. It's a tool. The tools you have are not to be used because they look nice. They are to be used when they are REALLY NEEDED.
A sledgehammer is a useful tool. You can use it for many things – knock a wall down, crush bricks, etc. You don't use a sledgehammer to open a jar of pickles. The tool is not wrong. The use is.
A funny moment happened in the workshop. One person said something like "I went to a workshop with Keith Johnstone once and he said 'Don't gossip on stage'."
I explained that Keith has also said that SOME gossip can be useful in creating platforms. I told the class, "Don't always Listen to Keith". I immediatly regretted it because of the jokes that followed – "Shawn says Don't listen to Keith". It was all in fun… and I think that people SHOULDN'T just LISTEN to people. You neead to HEAR what is being said. You need to THINK about what you are doing and why you are doing it.
EVEN THIS…
If you spend all your time thinking and you improvise from your head, you won't be a good improviser. Tools have their time and their place. One answer can be correct at one moment and it can be a curse the next.
Think about it at the right time. Use it at the right time. Forget about it at the right time.
When is the right time? Do it. Figure it out. If it succeeds, it was the right time. If it has a negative impact in the work, it was the wrong time.
Immediatly as the girl was interrupting the people in the show we did, she said she learned that she was using the right tool at the wrong time.
Live and learn.
(But do Learn.)
