Impro. Methuen Drama. 2007.

1. Status is a fundamental aspect of human interaction and can be taught

"Status seems to me to be a useful term, providing the difference between the status you are and the status you play is understood."

Understanding status transactions: Status is not about social hierarchy, but about how we interact with others in any given moment. It's expressed through subtle cues in body language, tone of voice, and behavior. By recognizing and manipulating these cues, actors and improvisers can create more dynamic and realistic scenes.

Teaching status: Status can be taught through various exercises:

• Asking students to play scenes with slight status differences
• Practicing different physical postures and vocal tones associated with high and low status
• Exploring status reversals within scenes

Status awareness has practical applications beyond theater, helping people navigate social situations more effectively and understand the underlying dynamics of interpersonal relationships.

2. Spontaneity is crucial for creativity and can be cultivated through specific exercises

"When I explain that sanity is a matter of interaction, rather than of one's mental processes, students are often hysterical with laughter."

Overcoming mental blocks: Many people struggle with spontaneity due to fear of judgment or a desire to appear clever. Johnstone argues that true creativity comes from accepting and expressing our first thoughts, rather than censoring them.

Exercises to foster spontaneity:

• Word association games
• Gibberish speaking exercises
• "Yes, and" improvisations
• Timed writing without self-editing

By practicing these techniques, individuals can learn to bypass their inner critic and access a more immediate, authentic form of expression. This not only enhances performance but can lead to greater creativity in all aspects of life.

3. Narrative skills can be developed by understanding story structure and reincorporation

"The improviser has to be like a man walking backwards. He sees where he has been, but he pays no attention to the future."

Story structure: Johnstone emphasizes the importance of understanding basic narrative elements:

• Establishing a routine
• Interrupting the routine
• Reincorporating earlier elements

Reincorporation technique: This involves bringing back earlier ideas, characters, or objects into a story. It creates a sense of cohesion and satisfaction for the audience.

Practical exercises:

• Creating stories in pairs, with one person providing disconnected elements and the other connecting them
• "Word at a time" storytelling games
• Practicing "interrupting routines" in improvised scenes

By mastering these skills, improvisers and writers can create more engaging and satisfying narratives, whether in performance or on the page.

4. Masks and trance states unlock hidden aspects of personality and enhance performance

"A Mask is a device for driving the personality out of the body and allowing a spirit to take possession of it."

Power of masks: Masks have been used in various cultures for centuries to facilitate transformation and access altered states of consciousness. In theater, they can help actors transcend their usual limitations and embody entirely new characters.

Types of masks and their effects:

• Half masks: Allow for more expressive, often comedic performances
• Full masks: Create a sense of stillness and tragedy, requiring precise physicality
• Neutral masks: Help actors discover a base state free from personal mannerisms

Trance states: Johnstone describes how wearing masks can induce trance-like states in performers, allowing them to access deeper levels of creativity and expression. This concept is linked to various cultural practices and can be applied in modern theater training to enhance performance and character development.

5. Improvisation techniques can be applied to various aspects of life and art

"An artist who is inspired is being obvious. He's not making any decisions, he's not weighing one idea against another. He's accepting his first thoughts."

Beyond theater: The principles of improvisation can be applied to:

• Writing
• Problem-solving
• Personal relationships
• Business negotiations
• Education

Key improvisation principles:

• Accepting and building on offers
• Being present in the moment
• Embracing failure as a learning opportunity
• Trusting one's instincts

By adopting these principles, individuals can become more adaptable, creative, and effective in various areas of life. Improvisation teaches valuable skills such as active listening, collaboration, and quick thinking that are beneficial in many professional and personal contexts.

6. Breaking routines and accepting offers are essential for dynamic storytelling

"Blocking is a form of aggression."

Breaking routines: Johnstone emphasizes that interesting stories come from interrupting established patterns or expectations. This creates tension and engages the audience.

Accepting offers: In improvisation, "accepting offers" means embracing and building upon the ideas presented by your scene partners. This principle can be applied to storytelling by:

• Incorporating unexpected elements
• Following through on seemingly random ideas
• Avoiding the temptation to "block" or negate new directions in a story

Practical applications:

• In writing: Explore unexpected plot twists or character decisions
• In improvisation: Practice saying "yes, and" to build scenes collaboratively
• In life: Be open to new experiences and perspectives

By embracing these principles, storytellers and improvisers can create more engaging and surprising narratives.

7. Full and half masks create different performance experiences and require distinct approaches

"To some extent we can say that the half, or comic, Masks are low status, and the full Tragic Masks are high status."

Half masks:

• Cover only the upper part of the face
• Allow for more expressive, often comedic performances
• Tend to create childlike, impulsive characters

Full masks:

• Cover the entire face
• Create a sense of stillness and tragedy
• Require precise physicality and control

Approaches to mask work:

• Half masks: Focus on spontaneity, physical comedy, and vocal play
• Full masks: Emphasize stillness, deliberate movement, and non-verbal communication

Understanding these differences allows performers to adapt their techniques appropriately, creating more powerful and authentic masked performances. The contrasting approaches also offer insights into different styles of acting and character development, even when masks are not used.

Last updated: August 11, 2024