“Magic becomes art when it has nothing to hide.”
-Ben Okri
It’s possible to compare improvisers to magicians. In fact, I’ve heard this comparison made in more workshops then I can remember and have probably used it on more then one occasion. I think it’s pretty accurate. We set the stage as if what we are about to do is impossible. No script! No planning! It’s magic! And for the most part, the audience believes there is no trick and the fact that we are making it up is magic. The magic is what we are selling at $10 a head.
That’s usually where the comparison end. Let’s take it a little further, shall we?
Magicians also do a lot of planning and have a lot of paraphernalia that the audience never sees. Such as trap doors, angels hair, fake thumbs, string and wires, smoke and mirrors, etc… and so do improvisers. We use editing techniques like sweeps and tags and sliding doors. We have formats like narrative collage, and domino, and even the Harold. And yet like magicians, we never tell the audience. Most improvisers nowadays, just get on stage and say “All we need is a word…” and they leave out the part about format and structure, and all the other little games they’ve chosen to use.
And to that I say: not cool. Why? Because we are not magicians. We are improvisers. We aren’t doing tricks we are supposed to be improvising. There is a big difference between a trick and a lie. Both sides know when it’s a trick, but the only people who know it’s a lie, are the liars themselves. We aren’t tricking anyone, we’re just holding back the truth (also known as being dishonest (also known as lying)).
Audiences don’t even know to look for the rules of a domino, they have no idea what a lotus is. They leave the show amazed thinking, “they just made that whole thing up, how did they know revisit those three scenes after that first group game…” (okay maybe they don’t think exactly that, but I think you get the idea).
Audiences go to see magicians because they like being tricked, they go see improvisers because they like being amazed. Unfortunately, they usually get what they want…and that makes me sad, because they don’t even realize they’re being tricked.
I always tell my audience exactly what’s happening. I explain the form I’ll be using to the best of my ability, or I don’t use a format, and I tell them that. I believe we as improvisers should be honest with our audience so that they too can be in on the act of spontaneous creation they are about to see. Because honesty…now that’s magic.
Well I don’t believe in magic.
Also, I don’t go into the details of revealing the format, but not because I want to deceive the audience into thinking that I am super awesome. I don’t go into detail so that the show can just start, so that the amazing can happen. I for one have sat through far too many over explained explanations of expla… Where was I? The point is the audience wants the show to start and for the show to be amazing, be it an improv show, a comedy set, a play, a poetry reading or even one of those old timey magic acts.
I hear you.
Some people over explain what they’re doing to the point of ruining the whole beginning, and in turn, the show. That to me is a different problem. That’s a problem of being inarticulate and long winded.
I guess it gets down to intentions. Are you keeping the format a secret because if the audience knew they would less impressed or are you not telling them for brevity? If it’s to keep things short you can at least say “We’re doing a form that’ll take too long to explain (insert joke) and it’s better if you just watch.” At least then they know that there is a form, and you’re not “making it all up”.
Thanks for the comments though. There is always another side to something, and then another side, and then another side. Shades of grey.
I think it comes down to taste and how you want your show to… taste.
Love the blog, love the writing and love the discussion. Keep it up Dave (even though you are totally wring about just about everything… you know that right?).
Let’s agree to…agree?
I’m glad you’re enjoying my blog, and for the record, I intend to be even more wrong in the future.