Rereading Truth in Comedy I came across this tidbit. It is not earth-shattering - we all heard it before. I know it is just a good reminder for me.
"Support and trust go hand-in-hand for perfomers; they must trust that their fellow players will support them. The only star in improv is the ensemble itself; if everyone is doing his job well, then no one should stand out. The best way for an improviser to look good is by making his fellow players look good.
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When performers truly commit to a scene, they take care of each other. Whenever someone makes what appears to be a mistake on stage, the others immediately justify it and weave it into the pattern of the entire work. More often than not, those "mistakes" become valuable contributions to the piece. The entire ensemble winds up looking brilliant because...they acknowledge mistakes and incorporate them into the large work to add extra texture and depth."
Need a citation? Chapter 3, punks! Read it!
1 comment:
For me, the part that jumps out the most is the part of embracing and justifying mistakes. I like that. Why? Because in improv, there are no mistakes! I accidentaly call you mom? I trip over a chair? I utter a racial slur? I MEANT to do that (except the racial slur, which I am still sorry about.) Take it, make it worth, and wow the audience at how seamlessly it flows...
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