Another chapter from my unpublished book “Shortcuts, Gimmicks, Cheats and Traps.” This is “traps” and it’s … the worst chapter? Because the truth is, of course, that you can do them all and if you have fun and commit they will be great. So the lesson is that if you’re in what I list as a trap — commit twice as hard and you’ll be fine. It’s better if you’re never warned about these things. This chapter can only hurt you!
But these are somehow really fun to list so… here we go!
Traps
These are (small) traps. Things that seem like they will help, but do not help. Talented veterans can do them, but they’re not easy. One of the traps is “stand-up comedy in improv scenes” -- which some people are really funny doing! But my point is it’s not easy, as opposed to the “gimmicks” sections which generally work without a ton of skill.
The secret to fixing any of them: commit hard and go THROUGH it. Avoiding it once you start will just make it worse.
“Welcome to the [blank] Olympics!”
“We are here at the [INSANE ACTIVITY] Olympics!”
It combines two traps:
The “let’s go down the line of performs and have everyone do a funny thing” type of scene, which is hard, and the audience gets way ahead of you, and also
Doing TV shows on a stage. SNL does parodies of TV shows because it is a TV show itself. It has cameras, sets, costumes. Your improv show is on a stage and so it’s kinda HARD to replicate the feel of a TV show. You could do a parody of stage shows (plays, musicals) much more easily!
“Welcome to American idol!”
“Here we are on American Idol! We’re so excited to see what our contestants have in store for us today!” This is another common “let’s go down the row and everyone do something funny” scenes.
Sounds funny, it kind of works for a bit, but is too hard, and loses steam.
Bowling scenes
Surprisingly hard. First, it requires two people to not face each other, because you’re either bowling in lanes next to each other, or one person is behind another keeping score. The object work of bowling is complicated. And people have to do the thing where you each decide if the ball hit pins or not. It’s just… hard. If you’re in one, make it NOT about the bowling: have your character need a break, sit down next to each other, make eye contact and make a confession.
Dentist scenes
One person can’t talk. And if you let them talk, it’s always just about their teeth. The way out is to assume you’re friends with the dentist and make it about your personal lives outside of the appointment, which is another way of saying: don’t do dentist scenes.
“Scope” Scenes
Microscope, telescope, periscope -- fun at the start, but can trap you into never looking at your partner. To get out of this trap, put the scope away, face the other person and confess something.
Board games
In improv scenes, you want activities that you can do without thinking, that you can talk during. Like washing dishes, painting walls, or maybe fishing. Board games are complicated to do, hard to explain, and boring to watch. Party games like charades can sometimes work, but in general I just avoid playing games in scenes. Wait, Jenga (where people take turns removing a piece of wood from a tower and place it on top) works, for some reason. So you can do Jenga.
Team Sports and Rock Concerts
While we’re talking about activities, any kind of team sport -- basketball, baseball, football -- ends up sabotaging the scene. There’s no space to do them, it’s hard to pretend to be doing them, and at least some portion of your team while never have played the sport. Two people casually playing a sport can work. Two people casually shooting baskets, or playing catch.
Surprisingly, team MEETINGS off field are great scenes.
Related: rock bands playing songs is harder than you think. If someone starts a scene as a drummer going “1! 2! 3! 4!” it’s instant chaos. Everyone tries to come up with excuses over why they forgot their instrument, or don’t know how to play. My suggested fix is my suggestion for almost any scene that has stalled; someone confess something. “Guys, I can’t do this! I’m supposed to be getting married right now!”
Marital Fights
Couples fighting is a big trap. Actors who are learning improv love martial fights. But they are boring and mundane. To get out: Choose to lose, make every accusation true, or try a confession. You’re free of this trap when the scene becomes about something besides who is right.
Here’s very common scenes that tend to become boring marital fights!
“Do You Like This Tie?”
It’s always a tie, and the other person never likes it, and the person wearing the tie never gets over it.
Announcing Travel Plans
“Guess what sweetheart, I got the tickets to Paris!”.... Is somehow always met with disappointment, and then a fight where neither party really knows why they’re mad.
Anniversary Gifts
“Happy Anniversary, honey! I got you a necklace!” … will always disappoint the other character. Then they have a false fight that they’re not really invested in. A way out: have the couple share a happy memory.
You know what never gets rejected: marriage proposals in improv scenes. They are accepted 100%. But travel plans and chocies of ties: always rejected.
Stand-up Comedy in Improv Scenes
Starts funny, and then is hard to get out of. Usually it starts as a joke of forcing someone to do this. Like you’re in a scene, and you says “Hey, how’s your stand-up going, Chad?” and whoever is playing Chad says “Not good” and then someone makes a tag-out or a cut-to and suddenly that guy playing Chad is in the middle of his stand-up routine. The audience laughs at how hard this is, and then the guy playing Chad does a couple of bad jokes -- and suddenly, it’s boring.
Easy fix: Tag back to the original conversation.
Interesting observation: when stand-up comedians make fun of improv -- it’s ALSO kind of lame. Except to other stand-ups, who love it. So there is some kind of justice happening here — you’re punished for making fun of another kind of comedy.
Animals Talking To Humans
Animals can talk to each other in a scene, no problem. As soon as they start talking to humans, it gets tough. You think you’re ready for this, but you’re not ready.
Picket Scenes / Protest Scenes
Everyone marches in a circle, chanting something in unison. But you can’t decide what to say, and the scene generally becomes about how no one knows why they’re protesting! Not only is that bad improv, but it’s very anti-union, which bothers me, but I don’t know, maybe you agree with that. At any rate, tough start to a scene.
Reference-prov
Specifics are great, trivia contests are not. So feel free to put in a pop culture reference or play a historical figure. But be ready to help out your teammates who will not know what you’re talking about. If someone else makes a reference that you don’t really know, just ask in character what’s going on. “Yes, that’s me, Voldemort. And remind me who I am again?”
Pitch Meetings
“Guys, get in here, we have to think of a new toy we can sell for the holidays!”
Pitch meetings and they run out of gas.
Better, just deliver a piece of news — “I’ve got some news: we’re moving offices to be closer to the beach” — and let the other performers react.
“_____ offs”
The "dance off" is a popular type of “____ off" which comes from movies and pop culture. Improvisors are apt to offer any sort of ___off, a bake off, a stare off, a spit off. ____Offs are a form of competition to settle a score or to create a superficial climax.
It’s funny for a few seconds, but then gets really hard. You have to be able to physically do the thing, and probably be bad at it on purpose. It’s hard to surprise the audience. It takes a while.
I must admit: many great improvisers love “___ offs!” so that’s why this one is last. Maybe I’m wrong!
1000 Subscribers
We’re at over 1000 subscribers so I’m going to start a paid tier. As I’ve said before, MOST of the essays are going to remain free. But I’ll do a column once a month where I go very deep, probably on an improv teaching thing, for the real diehards.
Plugs, Fresh
The Bozos at Convoy At The Yard - Jim Woods, Sarah Claspell, Jamie Gaul, Beth Appel and I are doing a set at the Yard Sunday 9pm as part of the “Convoy Pops Up” show. I’ve never seen a bad Convoy show. That means they’re due. Come out and be disappointed!
Plugs, Ongoing
Screw It, We’re Just Gonna Talk About Comics - Comic book podcast, hosted by my brother Kevin and I. We are discussing Fantastic Four comics from the 1980s!
Clubhouse Fridays - WGIS’ weekly improv show. Fridays 7pm at The Clubhouse. Free!
The World’s Greatest Improv School: The improv school I run with Jim Woods and Sarah Claspell. We’ve got classes online, in LA and even a few in NYC!
How to Be The Greatest Improviser On Earth - My improv book, available at Amazon. Kindle or print. It’s a hodge-podge of advice I wrote in 2016 about doing improv. If you’re broke and want a free PDF version just email me and I’ll send it over.
Neil Casey is the exception to the reference-prov rule
Super helpful! Looking forward to getting my hands on the book.