I have been improvising for about 12 years now and in that time I've done about 100 shows a year and I'm low balling. Shows can't be the only thing you do but they are really important for putting into practice what we learned in classes, rehearsals, books, and more.
I have really found that the best shows I've played are those that I adjust in the moment my style of play. Every situation throughout a show requires reaction, commitment, and specificity, those are to me required. What is not required is that I use silence every scene, do object work every scene, play a bug character, play close to myself, play fast, play slow, and a whole slew of styles of play that I think people believe to be something they need to do every time to make good scenes.
Good scenes are made up of how we react moment to moment. I may start a scene slow with a sluggish energy but literally seconds later may have to be frantic and screaming. Commiting to your choice doesn't mean " Im sad for this scene" it means I'm sad in this scene until not because this happened. Or I was sad but then super angry. We have to be constantly in the moment paying attention to what the scene is actually doing and playing it honestly.
We will definitely find patterns and games but even those can't be preplanned or set to be a road map. We have to see when that game is over and a new one begins. It's a difficult thing but it's where the best comedy comes from.
Timing is everything and I believe this mentality of moment to moment is the key to timing. Sometimes that hilarious line you have needs a 5 second silence before to make it really pop but you won't give the scene that unless you are really commited to the moment.
Be in the moment and strong scenes will become more regular.
Jeff Quintana
Artistic Director
Villain Theater
No comments:
Post a Comment