Dislikes?

Holmes

of the Rare Bird Show
#1
What do you not like in improv?


I'm not talking about bad improv or pet peeves. I'm not talking about funny mistakes or horror stories.

I mean:
What in improv is not your cup of tea?
What do you just not really like in improv and why?
 

Holmes

of the Rare Bird Show
#2
I do not like interviews or monologs.

You'll pull up an audience member and ask them a bunch of questions, or you'll have someone tell a story. Then, you'll do something with that information.

This can get tricky.
I think it's bad form to just see what we just heard acted out. If it's a funny story, however, you might find yourself wishing for that, rather than what you're seeing.
Even if it's all done the 'proper' way (a story is told and elements from it are pulled out, essentially turning one suggestion into several suggestions), to me it feels watered-down and overly complicated.
That gets into another dislike, openings, which do the same kind of thing.

Maybe I just don't like a whole rigamarole.
I came from a short-form background where the more complex or long any explanation, format, or procedure was, the greater the chance it'd suck.

I also don't like them from a performer point-of-view. The more steps and pieces, the more I feel like there's a right and wrong and I should be thinking. I want to get a small spark of inspiration and then play until a scene and all its elements are built.

I'm not saying that I haven't seen enjoyable interviews and monologs turned into enjoyable scenes. I'm not saying that people who do them are bad or should be protested or indicted. It's just something that I don't particularly like to see or do.
It's not my cup of tea.

Discuss.
Other dislikes?
 
#3
I don't like when people tease or make fun of a teammate on stage. If someone fucks up, just let it pass. The scene isn't about making your teammate feel bad (high school probably did that enough), it's about making a wonderful world with your imagination and not having to worry about walking on egg shells. Sometimes it's okay to call something out that a teammate did or a mistake but if this becomes a constant habit, I feel that it's weak improv and you're preying on your teammates. Sure, you might get a laugh but is it worth it by making your teammate the target?
 
#4
I don't like most monologues either, but I LOVE interviewing the audience most of the time. I don't like shows that are censored in any way which is probably why I haven't seen Comedy Sportz in so long (or at least one of the reasons). I also don't like when the floor is a bed or a chair or a table or something. It's THE FLOOR, grab some freaking chairs.
 
#5
I dislike it when a group finishes a show and then after the blackout is over, skulks off stage like they didn't just do, or at least attempt to do something awesome. We can still see your body language even when you're not "acting".
We all know every show isn't great, but don't walk off stage like you just took an emergency shit in a baby carriage and so therefore you are greatly ashamed.
I realize many groups do not bow, wave to the audience, whatever; probably out of a sense of modesty. But it just seems like there is no pride sometimes. We want to know you care and are happy to be up there.
Even if your show sucked, or maybe it was great except only you sucked in it, take a bow, mouth a thank you and smile. It tells us you'll get us next time.

***My first post. Shit in a baby carriage? Yeah, I'm pretty happy with that.
 
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