CAN IMPROV BE DANGEROUS? – BECKSVOICE.COM

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I was one of the quiet ones. Teachers liked me. I never spoke out of turn because I was always censoring myself.

Then I got into improv.

I think it’s fair to say that learning improv changed my personality. I may still be a bit shy and introverted, but having performed improv for over twenty years, I feel safe sharing my thoughts, I know that communication is more about listening than speaking, and I feel comfortable in group conversations.

Students in beginning improv classes think it’s about “coming up with funny things to say”, when in fact, improv is about learning to not censor yourself. This seems like it can be dangerous, but the instinct to repress our thoughts in the first place is also a problem. We all have a wealth of different experiences, but sometimes we’re afraid to speak out, especially if our ideas are more outlandish- or creative- than most. Improv isn’t about learning to think quickly. It’s about learning to speak before we judge our own ideas. That’s something society teaches us not to do. As a child, I never spoke out of turn, but I definitely had my hand up in the air a lot in class, although by the time the teacher called on me, I often second guessed my thoughts and put it back down. Thinking before we speak is usually a good idea, but overthinking can prevent even the good ideas from ever being expressed.

In the real world, we rarely raise our hands, and in a meeting that isn’t moderated very well, we might not feel safe to speak our thoughts, or even ask questions for fear of being judged. Improv definitely got me out of the habit of keeping quiet. Now I’m the one who speaks up to let the leader know they missed something, or their instructions weren’t clear- that is, when I’m not in the leadership position myself.

In addition to teaching you how to break your internal censor, improv teaches you to listen. “Yes, and” is the first rule of improv. A level one improv game may be a two person scene where each line literally begins with the words “Yes, and”.

Yes and doesn’t mean you have to agree with your scene partner. “Yes” just means you heard and acknowledge what they said. “And” is adding information.

“Yes, and” works in real life conversations. In fact, it’s how people naturally communicate.

It might take the form of “I know. Here’s a similar thing that happened to me”, or “You believe so and so is the better candidate? What about their drug problem?” Often, communication breakdown happens when you go straight to the “and”, leading your conversation partner to believe you weren’t listening to them. This is why eliminating our censors altogether can be a problem. Improv classes generally start with warm ups such as “free association” to get us out of our heads, and then we step back into them a bit when we add the “yes, and” games.

Group conversations can be a bit trickier- both in improv, and in the real world. It wasn’t until lockdown and the transition to Zoom meetings that I noticed how much my stifled censor affected me (and others who were in meetings with me). I’m one of those people who has crazy ideas, and being less self-conscious about getting my ideas out can be a great asset, at least in small groups. In improv, group scenes tend to involve four to eleven actors in a group conversation, figuring out the “game”, or pattern of the scene, and building and solidifying it. The idea is to make your fellow actors look good. Practicing group scenes results in the feeling that others are our safety net, and they will support us no matter what, which eventually gives us the confidence that our thoughts are valid, not just on the stage, but also in real life. This, of course, works both ways, and we learn to support everyone else too. Group scenes aren’t easy though, especially with improv teams who haven’t been together long. Learning to trust that everyone has your back is the key.

Sometimes not using one’s censor can be a problem. Generally the more people there are in the conversation, the more problematic it can be. It’s helpful to think of a large meeting as a group scene and follow the rules in the same way you would in an improv show. The rules being: speak only when necessary, don’t hog the stage, and figure out the “game” by staying on topic and noticing the energy of the group. In other words, read the room.