One of the greatest teachings of improvisation is 'start positive'. When improv students take the stage to begin a scene - we're often full of fear. Fear has a variety of symptoms - racing heart, shallow breath, dry mouth, and for most of us, a frantic mind full of nothing. The fearful brain jumps in with suggestions like, "Say something original, THEN they'll respect you!" Unfortunately in improvisation 'original' isn't very useful.
When your scared brain is telling you to be interesting QUICK - that is EXACTLY when you need to slow down - breathe deeply - and do something obvious.
The fear also instructs us "QUICK! GET IN CONTROL" and often - we go negative to gain control. If an improviser is on stage - desperately trying to come up with something good - the character played by that improviser is very likely to be unhappy.
An improviser, Chaz, sat on a sofa - he asked his scene partner, Alice, to bring him some tea - the tea was offered - and Chaz sipped the tea - spat it out - and proclaimed - "That is awful!" Chaz was momentarily in control. The negative emotion and loud voice filled the theatre with 'drama' and the improviser's fear was diminished. Instantly Alice joined in the negativity - fighting for control. "I make crappy tea for you on purpose because I hate you!" They screamed and threw the pantomimed tea cup and tea pot and Alice broke into histrionic tears.
I've seen thousands of improv scenes like this one and I don't need to see any more. I stopped the scene and asked them to try again.
When I coached Chaz to accept the tea differently - "Like the tea or love it! Say 'It's great!' See where that takes you." Quickly - Chaz pointed out that there would be no conflict and the scene would be boring. Alice nodded sagely. I ask, "How do you know if you haven't tried it? Chaz answers "You need conflict." He's well informed. There are many sources that inform us that to have story - we must have conflict. Unfortunately for improvisers everywhere - it is common knowledge that story requires conflict. My teacher, Keith Johnstone once told me that you may need conflict - but it isn't very helpful in improvisation. I try that approach on Chaz and Alice - "Conflict doesn't seem to be helping this scene". They both furrow their brows. "Why don't we try responding positively and see where it takes us?" They start again.
Once again the tea is offered, Chaz sips from his pantomimed cup. "Mmmmmm" he says, "This is WONDERFUL!" The rest of the class laughs. "I'm so glad you like it! I tried a new type of tea" responds Alice. "Really? You never try anything new." ... suddenly we have back-story and the relationship between the characters takes on new dimension. We learn that they're a married couple, The scene continues on a path that leads to the revelation that Alice has been studying tea secretly behind his back - and that she plans to start a tea import business. Chaz's character gets competitive - he is threatened by his wife starting a company... the first sign I notice is that his expression changes from happy to worried - it takes me a moment but I jump in and stop the scene, "Freeze - go back. When she reveals that she's starting a company - try being over-joyed! It is a good thing"... they pick up the scene where they'd left off - this time when she reveals she wants to start a company he says, "That's a good thing!" (Again there is a laugh from the other students) "You'll make more money!... the scene continues. I stopped them a couple of times when they went 'negative' and coached them back - the scene ended with Chaz and Alice hugging and toasting their new business with cups of tea.
Afterward we all discussed the scene. We learned that Chaz and Alice had fun. The audience was engaged. The scene worked. Everyone in the room experienced that 'starting positive' can make a scene more fun... and that staying positive will take a story in surprising directions.
Unfortunately - it is human nature to be negative when we're under stress. As improvisers - we will make the same mistake again and again. Once the intellect accepts the concept that being positive is good for improvisation - it will still take us many scenes to shift our habits from being negative to being positive. In my experience, it is a journey worth taking.
