Improv Like It's Nineteen Eighty-Four
"We have always been at war with Eastasia"
I re-read the George Orwell novel Nineteen Eighty-Four recently, and I decided something:
To act well in an improv scene is like being under the rule of a totalitarian government.
Because the history of your scene is constantly being rewritten and you need to be cool with that.
Uh, What?
In Nineteen Eighty-Four, the world is divided into three countries: Oceania, Eastasia and Eurasia. The main character Winston Smith lives in Oceania, who at the start of the novel is at war with Eurasia.
Then towards the end of the book, Oceania goes to war with Eastasia.
But it’s not like the news says “We are now at war with Eastasia.” The news is “We are at war with Eastasia. We have always been at war with Eastasia.”
Party members like Winston Smith are not allowed to even acknowledge that it’s ever been any different.
If we set aside the disturbing metaphor about a controlling government, it’s good improv advice!
Yes I’m Angry. I’ve Always Been Angry.
Like, if someone at the top of the scene looks at your and says “You’re mad, aren’t you?” The best response is to make your face angry and go “Yes, I am.”
But it’s not that the character was neutral and now they are mad.
No, I mean that the person adjusts themselves and now it’s like they had been mad the whole time.
That’s a DEEP ADJUSTMENT. An internal one.
He Was The Killer All Along
Ever watch a murder mystery movie twice? The second time, you know who the killer is. But as you watch the early scenes, that person is probably not acting like the killer.
Are you upset when the killer is revealed that they were not already acting like the killer? No, you accept that people can hide things about themselves. You find out they’re a killer and you’re like “ah, well, they were hiding that behavior, but it was there the whole time.”
Accepting a gift in improv is like revealing a thing about your character that was always there, just hadn’t been said yet.
Deep Adjustments
Let’s say the suggestion is “giftwrap.”
You start by opening a gift. “Oh! A necktie!” You seem pleased.
And your scene partner goes “You hate it.”
Now, you had been pleased with it, but you had not really made a big passionate choice. So there’s room to adjust.
So, you take the gift and decide that yes you do hate it. You frown and say “I do hate it.”
You don’t like the necktie. You have never liked the necktie.
These are deep adjustments.
Now, report to the Ministry of Yes And.
Plugs
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I love this post. I have always loved this post.
I don’t have a clever comment, I just like imaging the delight you may have felt when this thought first occurred to you 😆