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Caroline Clifford's avatar

It was real fun having you at das, I hope you come back every year! The lady at the bakery has refused to comment. I had some improv writing ideas inspired by seeing real pros do improv at das.

1. What do you do when you don't like an offer someone has given you because it's too crazy, not necessarily problematic or anything, they're just heightening too soon. Yes and the shit out of it? Or modify it to fit the base reality? I feel I kind of block offers that are annoying.

2. A difference I noticed watching teams like The Bozos is that you never seem rushed or panicked, is that just experience? I notice I rush stuff more, kind of panicking I won't get a good idea out or I'm gonna get tagged out.

Thanks!

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Otto Akin's avatar

For years people have acted as if the Harold was the ultimate training tool, the barbell squat of the gym.

I think it's probably more of a bench press, impressive compound movement but not foundational.

Armando/asscat is more like the big game for the crowd. Likely the most entertaining even if it's not theory perfect.

Short form is isolation exercises, if you do those a lot you will be better at a full performance but it's accessories. But some strong biceps can carry a show home.

What is the true foundational compound movement for improv? The Decon? Monoscene? Listening better, losing ego and going to therapy?

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Dan Bogosian's avatar

Suggestions for newsletter ideas:

1. What you're doing with the Harold, but with other forms (Spokane/Pretty flower, Evente: what's good, what's bad, what can be done to improve it)

2. How does one make a new form in improv? How does it come to be accepted?

3. I don't man, just tell us about your non-improv life even when you're not traveling the earth.

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Chase Roper's avatar

I think it’s healthy for Germans to know that America will pop into their community from time to time and just snap some pictures to be sure there’s no more funny business.

It’s not probably not a good idea for me to refer to the holocaust as “funny business.”

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Caroline Clifford's avatar

Do Americans not have any jokes about Germany after 1945?

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Chase Roper's avatar

I don’t know about all Americans but I definitely do not.

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Caroline Clifford's avatar

That is your right and I'll die to defend it.

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Bobby McCosky's avatar

Will, how do you treat group games in your Harold? I noticed you call them group scenes. I’ve always been taught that the group games should not be “scenic”, or they shouldn’t start that way at least. They should be more avant garde, and “following group mind”, but we want that part to feel differently than the rest of the Harold which is scenic (depending on your opening). But curious what your advice is and what you like to see in them.

In my experience, the avant garde style can be nice if a team is super supportive, and saying yes A LOT, but when that doesn’t happen, which is too often especially with beginner Harold classes, it just feels like we’re setting up our students/audiences to watch something weird for the sake of being weird.

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