Improvisational theatre – performing without a script – might sound like a scary, unpredictable prospect, but it’s one of the most valuable skills an actor can have. Ambika Mod (One Day, This Is Going to Hurt) credits improv for sharpening her acting skills, and Ayo Edebiri (The Bear, Bottoms) has put her improv skills to use on a number of award-winning jobs. Whether you’ve got comedy chops or are more of a dramatic actor, getting to grips with improv will help you to become a better listener, react more truthfully to your scene partner, and be more present. It will also give you the confidence to roll with whatever comes your way in auditions and on the job.
Improv, otherwise known as improvisation or improv theatre, is a form of live performance where actors create scenes, dialogue, and characters in real time, without a script.
Unlike traditional theatre, where lines from a script are memorised and scenes are directed and rehearsed, improvisational theatre encourages actors to stay in the moment, following the authentic flow of a scene as it develops. The inspiration for improv usually comes from an audience prompt, or with the “who, what, and where” of the resulting scene conjured up by the actors onstage. In comedy improv, this leads to unexpected situations and spontaneous humour, whilst in dramatic improv, it opens actors up to behaving truthfully on stage, following their impulses to explore real emotions in response to the imagined scenarios.
Improv originated in Chicago and is heavily associated with Viola Spolin, who many refer to as the “Mother of Improv,” though it has roots in earlier theatre forms such a commedia dell’arte. At its core, improvisational drama relies on spontaneity, collaboration, and a sense of play. Though it started in the U.S., this art form has a rich history in the UK, with groups like The Comedy Store Players, Austentatious, and Showstopper! The Improvised Musical bringing improvisational theatre into the mainstream via popular West End shows.
1. Make statements.
Improv begins with building the foundations of a scene by making clear statements that establish the who, what, and where of the scene. This means making sure you know who you and your scene partner are (including your relationship to one another), what you are doing, and where exactly in the world you are at the very start of the scene. The more specific you can be with your choices, the better: Define something in the scene yourself, rather than asking a question, which forces your scene partner to make all the choices.
2. “Bring a brick, not a cathedral.”
Improvisational theatre trailblazer Del Close said, “Don’t bring a cathedral, bring a brick – we’ll build it together,” coining the now-famous motto. Improv is a form of collaborative play, and this saying ultimately reminds you that you only need to bring one offer to each line of dialogue in your scene. Together, you and your fellow scene partners will build the story; you don’t have to do it all.
3. Say “Yes, and … ”
One of the most basic principles of improv, the “yes, and … ” rule means you affirm what your scene partner has offered (in other words you do not negate or deny the detail added), then you add something new (the next brick) to build on theirs.
4. Practise attentive listening.
It’s important to truly listen to your scene partner – not only to every word they’re saying, but also to what their tone of voice conveys, and what their body language and facial expressions tell you. It’s about attuning yourself to the other person in the scene, allowing both their verbal and nonverbal offers to impact you. When you really listen to your scene partner, you stop preempting what they are going to say, or planning your next line, and instead are forced to be fully present and entirely reactive.
5. Allow yourself to be affected by things.
The knock-on effect of attentive listening, and by default being fully present in a scene, is to allow yourself to be impacted by what is happening to you. How are you affected by the other person in this scene? How does what they're saying and doing impact your responses? Trust your instincts and let yourself be not only truthful, but also obvious. You don’t need to search for some wildly complex, interesting reaction. Go with your gut, and remember that what’s obvious to you is bound to be eye-opening to your fellow performers and audience.
6. Embrace mistakes.
In the world of improv, there are no mistakes, only opportunities. It’s not like school – there are no exams, grades, report cards, or punishments for getting something not quite right. In fact, one of the greatest joys of making stuff up live onstage in front of an audience is the happy accidents that inevitably occur when you “mess up.” Embrace the idea that mistakes are gifts and, rather than getting flustered or embarrassed, confidently allow them to fuel further creativity.
Mandy spoke to actor Melissa Parker (The Long Shadow, Casualty), who teaches improvisation at Hoopla Impro, as well as Monica Gaga, who teaches improv and regularly performs with The Comedy Store Players, about the ways this playful art form can positively impact your career.
1. Improv fosters greater spontaneity.
As an actor, being able to deliver a fresh performance that remains authentic and connected take after take, or show after show, is a vital skill. Improv can help to foster such spontaneity because “it’s a performance without a script,” explains Gaga. Parker adds that “it helps you to be more spontaneous in auditions as well as performance, because you have to celebrate mistakes and relinquish control.”
2. Improv develops creative agility.
The spontaneity that improvisation encourages, particularly when it comes to embracing mistakes, also makes you more resilient and agile as a performer, allowing you to “take notes and redirection in a more playful way,” Gaga says. Parker notes that “improv helps teach you to be less attached to an outcome, and more creatively flexible,” which is an incredibly beneficial skill not only in performance, but in auditions too.
3. Improv encourages greater presence and more authentic reactions.
Improvisation trains you to listen. In order to be a great improviser you must tune in to the people with you onstage, as well as in the audience – and that’s a helpful tool for acting too. “You don’t want to be in your head, you want to be really present, listening to what the other person is saying and then responding accordingly, without any preplanned idea of how you are going to do the scene,” Parker says. “If you stop listening you miss offers … you’re going to miss something you could have reacted to.” And we all know the saying, “Acting is reacting.”
4. Improv builds stamina and promotes longevity.
Improv offers a unique opportunity to regularly perform onstage, embody different characters, and explore new relationships. “How often do we get to do that as actors?” Parker asks, adding, “It’s such a good way to keep you fresh.” She also credits improv for giving her “longevity and stamina” in her acting career, saying “Having the space to connect and play on a weekly basis has helped me keep going in the times I’m not working as an actor, because it’s fun, it makes me joyful, and it gives me a community.” Gaga also highlights the career opportunities that regular improv can bring: “Improv has put me in the room with so many different people I wouldn’t have come across otherwise, and has allowed me to make so many professional connections that have blossomed into work. Because you get an opportunity to explore so many characters and relationships onstage, you [also] get to showcase so many more skills. So, if people have seen you perform, they know the range of what you can do, and they also know you’re flexible as a performer.”
Whether you’re drawn to comedy or serious drama, dive into the world of improv and see where it takes you. After all, the best performances aren’t always scripted…