Been thinking a lot about the pet peeves in improv performance. If you have been doing improv for more than a year, you will recognize these. We have all done them, but they stated so I can rid them from my system. I call them the Top 5 Dogs of Improv Scene Losers.
These are old traps that tend to make scenes go down fast.
1. First day.
Whenever you begin a scene "this is my first day_____" fill in the blank, you're setting yourself up to be incompetent. Incompetence really isn't funny. It telegraphs to the audience that what ever I am doing I will be bad at it. It's a cop out. It's funnier to be expert who has been making pizzas for 30 years and knows every damn thing about pizza and can't be taught a thing.
2. Teaching.
I agree with Mick Napier on this: "When you teach somebody something (dancing, cooking, skiing, surfing, etc.) you're putting yourself in the superior position to control a scene because you feel inadequat. Yep. If you found yourself in a scene like this, and someone is trying to teach you something, make sure it's not about the activity. Make it about you or create relationship with the teacher, ASAP.
3. Dickering over price.
No one wants to see two people negotiate with fake money over improvised products. No one cares how much it costs. Just pay for the damn thing and get on with the scene.
4. Playing drunk, stoned or crazy.
Okay, improv by its very nature is already a skewed reality. When a character acts stoned or drunk, it just adds a layer of skewness that doesn't need to be there. Crazy is fine. In fact, crazy out there characters are awesome. But make sure it's crazy like a fox. Remember, truly crazy people are doing their best to act normal. Same with drunks and stoners. That's not to say these aren't good characters to try. Just beware that each of these choices have traps inherent in them.
These are old traps that tend to make scenes go down fast.
1. First day.
Whenever you begin a scene "this is my first day_____" fill in the blank, you're setting yourself up to be incompetent. Incompetence really isn't funny. It telegraphs to the audience that what ever I am doing I will be bad at it. It's a cop out. It's funnier to be expert who has been making pizzas for 30 years and knows every damn thing about pizza and can't be taught a thing.
2. Teaching.
I agree with Mick Napier on this: "When you teach somebody something (dancing, cooking, skiing, surfing, etc.) you're putting yourself in the superior position to control a scene because you feel inadequat. Yep. If you found yourself in a scene like this, and someone is trying to teach you something, make sure it's not about the activity. Make it about you or create relationship with the teacher, ASAP.
3. Dickering over price.
No one wants to see two people negotiate with fake money over improvised products. No one cares how much it costs. Just pay for the damn thing and get on with the scene.
4. Playing drunk, stoned or crazy.
Okay, improv by its very nature is already a skewed reality. When a character acts stoned or drunk, it just adds a layer of skewness that doesn't need to be there. Crazy is fine. In fact, crazy out there characters are awesome. But make sure it's crazy like a fox. Remember, truly crazy people are doing their best to act normal. Same with drunks and stoners. That's not to say these aren't good characters to try. Just beware that each of these choices have traps inherent in them.
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