Improv Class 4 – 23 Feb 2010

Class 4 was about character – how they walk talk and feel. We started the class with a relaxing exercise (see outline below). We made our way into the world of emotions by playing Emotion switch and Emotion box (passing a box around the circle, each player reacting with a larger emotion than the previous player). The game was ended after Luci threw the box out the window in a fit of rage..:-). We also played some gibberish games (Emotion gibberish and Gibberish switch). Gibberish helps one to focus more on how a character talks than what they say. How a character talks is just as important if not more important than what the character says. Gibberish also helps you to get out of your head. The last exercise of the class was Character Walks. These game shows you how your body can think for you to make up a character by just changing something about the way you move. You can change any part of your body, the speed of your movement or how you fill the space around you. It is amazing how the way you carry your body influence your feelings. We ended the class with a gibberish performance game called Cluedo. I loved how kryptonite turned into dirty socks and an airplane into an ostrich farm. In the end it is not about getting it right but about making a strong choice and sticking to it.

Key concepts

Gibberish – A made up language of witch the meaning is conveyed by action, expressions, or tone of voice.

Let your body think for you – By just changing something in your body you can come up with a whoel character with feelings, wants and passions.

Make a strong choice and stick to it – It is not always important what you choose but how you choose

The XYZ relax exercise
U – Unplug
V – Vent
X – Exhale
Y – Yield
Z – zzzzzz