Endowments in Improv take two

The course continues tonight and I was just looking back at some of the things that people have said about courses in the past.

Gordon Craig Edinburgh (Animator and Amateur actor)

Sarah's experience and competency were apparent from the first session she held for us. After a series of well structured workshops she had trained us all from complete novices into confident performers who went on to put on several favourably reviewed shows under her captaincy. Her knowledge of the various games in the theatre sports repertoire seems to be boundless and the feedback she gives at the end of each game is fair and valuable. The skills which we learned through participating on Sarah's course have helped us not only on stage but also in life. You'll find that, when faced with a surprising scenario, following the simple rules of improv will provide you with the confidence and conversational skills necessary to cope.

Caroline Mathison Edinburgh (Actress and Drama practioner)

I was a bit apprehensive about going along to improv at first, as the idea of standing up in front of other people with no idea what you're going to do was daunting to say the least! However, Sarah's energy, enthusiasm and guidance made it a fun, friendly and very safe environment in which to play, take risks and learn new principles and skills.

As someone with a fair bit of previous performance experience and training, taking part in the improv group definitely helped me to be more open, spontaneous and vulnerable on stage, but it also boosted my general confidence to just 'go for' things in my everyday life.

All in all, improv made me a better all-round performer and a more confident individual - and gave me loads of laughs along the way!

And Jon Davey (Professional Photographer and writer)

 As someone who learnt Improv from Sarah in Edinburgh I can thoroughly recommend her courses. If you are in Guernsey and have interest in starting improv, or brushing up old skills, get along there!!

First Night of the New Course

I'm always filled with trepidation before a new course, even after doing it for so long. There's always a moment of fear before hand. Will I be able to do it? Will they get it? What if there's no trust?



And then we start and it all starts falling gently into place. Last night was no exception. Some old faces and some new and some new old faces.

It never ceases to amaze me how with just a simple exercise of 'Yes, and' people start creating such amazing stories. I like to get them to do 'No, but' after they've spun a fantastic story with 'Yes, and' with only one of the pair saying 'no, but'. Usually after having to call stop after the 'Yes, and' while everyone runs away with their stories the 'No, but' exercise fizzles out as the stories just can't take off. Last night 'No, but' didn't fizzle out as quickly as usual. In fact one couple seemed to be getting in a duel with both getting more and more inventive with reasons not to agree. (Very entertaining to watch. I can't wait for the same two to get into a scene with the same enthusiasm for building a story)

I got to spend the night laughing out loud. Some excellent new talent joining the group with different expertise to add. I can't wait for next week when we explore narrative. So many stories that would never exist if that particular group of people hadn't come into contact.

More please.

New Course

Exciting news! The new course will start on Monday 29th of April. 7pm to 9:30pm. Places are already filling up so book now!
email Sarah
improbablesguernsey@gmail.com

Spreading the Improv addiction

The next full improv course is on its way and I can't wait! Teaching the full course is so fulfilling and getting to see those first steps into improv is definitely worth it.

I'm getting loads of interest and trying to work around peoples schedules so it can be a jam packed team that continues bringing improvised comedy to the masses.

I asked the last lot for some comments on how they felt the course went for them and they were not short of witty replies;

• 'It’s great to play ‘lets pretend’ and still keep my clothes on.'
• Unleash your inner gobbledygook! Fine-tune your powers of faking it!
• You're an elephant with a limp in it's ear being interviewed about fruit dentistry! You're a paranoid pilot flying a chalk board across the Mississippi! You're about to sing a famous song about from the Middle Ages about modern technology! You're improvising!

And of course from Tristan,

'Unleash your creativity and imagination by joining Improbables Guernsey, our first course in the Autumn was thoroughly enjoyable, Wednesday nights became a highlight of the week, initially scary just making theatre up on the spot but the course gives a great insight into the techniques and templates of improvised drama and once you learn that anything goes and you must go with it you're in for a fantastic time! Having performed scripted drama for 20 years there was nothing more nerve wrecking than getting up in front of a packed audience and not having a clue what was going to come from our collective minds to amuse and entertain, such an adrenalin filled thrill and I cannot wait to do it again!'

So watch this space.

 

Improvising in Guernsey

After last years successful course I really wanted to keep the momentum and get another course going but it does feel like there's alot of interest but people are reluctant to commit to the full 10 weeks/session of a full course.

So I'm being a bit sneaky and getting the bug to bite another way. A one afternoon total Improv fun workshop. Saturday March the 9th. I've done one off's before but this time I want to really fit as much as I can in so people can't help but want to get involved.

I'm getting excited!

In the Beginning

SO short form improvisation has come to Guernsey! Short Form Improvisation, you say, what's that? The most succinct way most people describe it is, 'Have you seen Whose line is it anyway?' But I think that's not really true. Yes what they show on telly is the bare bones of short form with games and rules but it's played out by mainly stand-ups who try fit as many sound bits and gags into their two minute sketches as they can. Not an awful lot of working together to create a story.

So the improv form I know from playing it for over 17 years is about story and character led improvisation. That's not to say it's not completely hysterical most of the time but it is a different skill to the stand-up style on 'who's line'.

The first course in Guernsey ran last year with 8 people coming to the full length course over 10 sessions and a sold out performance at the end. I was so proud of the first brave improbables. I always get the fear when I run these things that they won't get it, that they'll suddenly stop creating as a team, forget to listen and things will fall apart. But they didn't, every single person on that stage rocked! I love it. I loved the stories and the characters but most of all I loved watching them get it!

And now they are hooked so I guess they can join me in my improv addiction. Because it is addictive for the players and the audience. This insane bubble of creativity that is made, just once, in that moment and never repeated.

It's been so long since my first time getting up and doing it in front an audience for the first time but even then I was fresh out of uni and filled with the naive invincibility of youth so I don't remember being that scared about it. But I do remember the addiction hit and the withdrawal when I went on a break travelling for two years and didn't get to play twice a week.

So the only way I'll get to be playing again now is to spread the contagion and teach some more people to play.

Play Play Play!