Strugglin'

[Rachel]

I have no idea what's going on with me but . . .

I'm involved in a bunch of practice groups and I'm at a point where I'm becoming super anal about rules - but not in so far as they can't be broken - just basic rules (ie. not destroying established realities, build off of what partner gives you . . . )

As Viola Spolin defines in her book (Improvisation for the Theater) - playing constitutes that the participants involved accept the rules and play within those rules - a game isn't fun if there aren't any boundaries to work around - but it's only a game if those boundaries are accepted by all players. (this is neither a paraphrase nor a quote; just the jist of what I can remember)

I feel I'm so anal about the rules because I really need them at this point - and I feel strongly about not breaking them until I really know them well.

I've been told that if i'm not having fun i shouldn't do it anymore - but i really do have a lot of fun when I work within the confines of the rules - a lot of good things come - but I see a haste to throw the rules aside and it's making improving (for me) very difficult.

So now I'm thinking I don't know how to relax and have fun with it! or i'm publically being a suck

What am I trying to say . . . good question!

I have no idea.

this is how i feel, and if you want to chime in be my guest.

 

[shel]

rules.

this could go back to the structure thread, but i'll add a few things. back in fl we did this excercise to demonstrate the usefulness of rules. we tried to create an actual game with objects (a sport or the like) and then play it. we had half an hour to come up with rules, etc. getting everyone to agree on something fun and playable that was new was difficult. after that we did some improv scenes about finding the game. the most useful thing that came out of it for me was this (in the actual scenework): agreement can mean many things. yes and-ing is very important whether you're a beginner or a pro, but as you play more, you learn that denial can be agreeing. it's about committment to character and situation. read mullaney's essay. only when you learn the rules and live them can you forget them and know they're there. i just try to feel out the group and where they are and try to meet them there. it's not always easy, but it can be fun if you get out of your head and into the scene.

 

[youngcat]

Originally posted by Rachel
\

I've been told that if i'm not having fun i shouldn't do it anymore - but i really do have a lot of fun when I work within the confines of the rules - a lot of good things come - but I see a haste to throw the rules aside and it's making improving (for me) very difficult.

So now I'm thinking I don't know how to relax and have fun with it! or i'm publically being a suck

question 1: is it making improving (getting better) or improving (doing improv in general) difficult?

 

[Rachel]

youngcat

improving as in getting better - and i guess it would also apply to improvising since that's what I'm trying to improve in.

 

[youngcat]

In that case, I am in the process of PM'ing you my response.

 

[goldfish boy]

Originally posted by Rachel
I'm involved in a bunch of practice groups and I'm at a point where I'm becoming super anal about rules - but not in so far as they can't be broken - just basic rules (ie. not destroying established realities, build off of what partner gives you . . . ) ... I see a haste to throw the rules aside and it's making improving (for me) very difficult

You guys are in level 3 and you're already throwing the rules aside???

In my insufficiently humble opinion, "build off of what partner gives you" is not merely a rule, it's the whole game.

 

[jillybee72]

We did a really fun exercise with Jeff Wirth where we broke all the rules on purpose to see what would happen. It turned out to be a series of fun-filled, energenic, entertaining scenes.

So here's something to play with, maybe: You like rules, so make some new ones. Maybe the rule for tonight is, I'm going to play all characters that are emotion-based and that's all I care about. Or maybe it's - I'm going to speak in Gibberish only during warm-ups. Or maybe, I'm going to lead with my belly in this scene. Or maybe, I have a secret plan to destroy the world. It doesn't matter. Do something that tickles you.

These are not permanent rules. Just restoring-the-fun-remembering-why-you-do-this rules. And they'll revalidate the "real rules"

OK. Leaving now.