What is Improv?
Improv (or Impro), is improvised comedy. Rather than writing out a sketch or play beforehand, improv performers simply make it up as they go along. This form has been popularised by television shows such as "Whose line is it anyway?".We use several different formats, and are trying and inventing new ones all the time.
Games
Games are structured sketches. The audience is asked for various pieces of information and these
are woven into a specific game format.
For example, the game "Emotional Baggage", involves four performers. One is a customs inspector and the other three are passengers. While the customs inspector is out of the room, each passengers is assigned an emotion by the audience. The customs inspector re-enters and calls each passenger forward. A mini-scene then ensues during which the inspector has to guess the emotion. The passenger acts out the emotion with as much gusto as possible and cheers and hisses from audience help the customs inspector along.
Other games include a whole scene in questions, limiting the number of words a performer is allowed to say, improvised songs, and acting as mannequins for audience members to move around.
Scenes
Scenes are prompted from a single word or phrase from the audience. The audience are given pieces of
paper as they arrive and asked to suggest scene titles. This can be a single word, or a whole sentence
(a good recent suggestion was "Making love to a snail").
The performers pick a title out of the hat and then have to make up a whole scene based on the selected title.
Plays
We have recently started improvising whole plays lasting 30-45mins. Again, the play is improvised from a single word or phrase.The play typically starts with a couple of performers on stage and they start a scene. When the scene ends, another two or three performers will start a different, possibly unrelated scene. As the play progresses, the scenes are interwoven and the play reaches a climax. The aim is to tie up all the loose ends and finish with a coherent story.