Improvisation

I’ve been producing/directing Likewise: Dinner Party for the Sydney Fringe Comedy Festival. Game of the scene came up (in relation to the “Black Box” of scenes in the middle between dinner parties). So I found this podcast from Rob Norman and Adam Cawley.  A couple of months ago these guys were in Sydney. I loved […]

My improv show, Likewise, is back for Sydney Fringe Comedy in 2017. We’ll be playing in a small cottage at Central Park, just near Spice Alley at 7pm on Monday September 4 and Tuesday September 5 2017. Details to come, visit the Likewise blog or sign up here to get details as they come available. […]

Here are some quotes about improv from the International Theatresports Institute. I never lose. I either win or learn. – Nelson Mandela I think all great lmprovisors are out to protect everybody else onstage and sure they look good. So it’s almost like you’re in the cradle … being loved … – Scott Adsit You […]

For the teaching and learning of improvisation, some cool cheat sheets.

Here’s a no doubt incomplete list of ways to open a piece. Scene painting Busby Berkeley true monologues character monologues Invocation Character painting Machine conducted story shared story / shared might-be-true monologue song interview press conference pattern game/word association answerphone messages, I love x because y… long scene make up a game Narrate the action […]

This warm up came from Bridie Connell, and she got it from her English teacher as a kid in NZ. It’s a rap: Group: Who’s the baddest gangsta (whoot, whoot), I’m the baddest gangsta (oh shit) Single person: I’m the baddest gangsta because (lame thing, like I brush my teeth after every meal) Group: oh yeah be […]

i spent 5 weeks at the 2016 iO summer intensive. here’s our grad show

These are two politically incorrect warm ups. 1. I’m sorry, i didn’t know that was your dick Mime warm up that also shows tension makes comedy. Mime an everyday activity. Unexpectedly you realise that something you are holding is a dick. the game is in the tension and in how you show your surprise. listen […]

Susan Messing says laughter is a consequence not a goal of improv. That’s Susan Messing on the right in the image above. She is playing a scene with Tara de Francisco. I took this photo at Susan’s show, Messing with Friends, at the Annoyance Theater, Chicago in July 2016.

Brilliant 2 hour fast-paced workshop with Craig Uhlir (pronounced yoo-ler). 6 things that if done consistently will make your scenes better. For each he gave the exercise and then explained how it worked. 1. use names names endow character names imply an existing relationship names can also be relationships (dad, mum, etc) names allow you […]