Being There

The first instinct of an improviser is to do something. To create, invent, imagine a contribution and offer it to the scene. This is also the second, third, fourth… impulse all the way till the end.

As the audience witnesses the full picture with all elements moving within the frame, players remain stuck behind their own lens attempting to maneuver through the story. Each improviser is in their own head sharing only what’s generated there.

But what if we could separate from ourselves and our ideas and become observers before thinkers? What if we could train to react to the gifts already being bestowed on the scene like: light, sound, setting and especially our fellow players daring to uncover what each moment has to offer?

If we could, the pressure succeed would fall away and our view of improvising would shift from producing to discovering.

We would feel relief and a renewed potential to reveal something wonderful.

We would experience the benefits we receive by being there for someone else.