Luke & Michael Improvisation

Clowning and Human Evolution

From Spymonkey to Actual Monkeys

I did a clowning course with Spymonkey in September and I am still absorbing the week (it was great, go and do it). My main note was to show my pleasure more, which is not surprising to me. I used to be really shy, and I still get shy in large groups sometimes. Performing standup and improv helped me to change that a lot, but it was not my habit to show emotions…

The first in a series of musings on comedic duos.

R2-D2 and C-3PO. I was thinking about why I prefer the original movies to the later prequels, and the difference in these two is a good example. I won’t go into a lot of detail about episodes 1-3, that has been covered in detail elsewhere, but I will pick out an incident that exemplifies why I don’t like the prequels.

There is a scene where the…

  Håkan Dahlström

I think this study is great. It shows that innovative engineering breakthroughs tend to come in small steps, rather than in large leaps.

By recording conversations and analysing them they found that brainstorming sessions work on the principle of ‘Yes and’. One person proposes something, which sparks off the next step from somebody else, and it continues until they reach a…

Stories and Their Audiences

Luke:

A great article about improvising stories and how to connect to the audience. Concise.

Originally posted on domesticatedanimals:

Practicing improvisational comedy for a couple of years has granted me the experience of created hundreds, if not thousands, of stories alongside my friends. Along the way, I’ve stumbled upon some principles of storytelling help me to elicit strong reactions from…

I watched a video on YouTube by Eric Thomas, the hip-hop preacher.

He said something unusual. To paraphrase, he said:

“You matter. I’m saying that because some of you may never have heard that.”

It’s strange that people don’t say that more often. I know people like to say it with actions, but there is something powerful about hearing that raw phrase, ‘You matter’. There are two things that…

I Like Museums

I like museums. I just realised a particular reason this lunchtime. I’m working in the back office of a museum at the moment and I headed out to the exhibits for a break. It was immediately relaxing because I just started wandering and peering at stuff, whereas I don’t feel that freedom when I walk out from an office into the street. I was allowed to be.

If you walk around the street peering at…

The Importance of the Boredom Threshold

I have a vivid memory of one of my very earliest improv workshops. It was a seven-day intensive class taught by Dylan Emery, culminating in a performance of an extemporised musical. I look back on those days with great affection. Due to the fact that I had no idea what improvisation was, I made mistakes with greater confidence than I ever have since. It was the steepest learning curve I have…

How to Coach Yourself

I read a great blog on the Harvard Business Review Site, all about how to hear useful feedback from criticism.

Everyone finds it difficult to listen to feedback, because emotional triggers overwhelm the process of listening. That is obviously true and I notice that in myself and others all the time.

This is important because if you want to get better at performing you need to get feedback from…

I am temping in Westminster at the moment, on the 5th  floor so I can see out over the chimneys and aerials. I was looking out the window this lunchtime and I saw a seagull waddling down a grey slate roof. I wondered what it’s like to be a seagull.

Specif…

Interview with Bill McLaughlin

 Bill McLaughlin studied and worked with Del Close in Chicago and has performed and taught in New…

Freedom in Improv: Seeking the Unknown

I just read a great article by Arthur J. Deikman, about how to find personal freedom.

http://www.de…

I am teaching a workshop on the 28th November, 7pm to 9.30pm as a brief taster of my approach to story. It is only 12 of your earth pounds, 10 if you pay in advance. Only 12 spots.

Who is it for?

Improvisers with any amount of experience who want an…

Car Crash Improv

I reckon a good driver could make for a good improviser. I can’t drive. However, for the purposes…

Cariad Lloyd Interview

I had a chance to sit down with Cariad Lloyd the other day. She does this thing, you may have heard…

Here’s some thoughts about what happens at the very, very start of an improv show, before the improv even starts.

I haven’t done a lot of improvising in the last few weeks (sob). Instead, I’ve been working on my solo act (under the sobriquet “Human…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7A9ZqItiq0&w=590&h=362]

Alan Watts says many useful things. Finding your voice is very important in many fields, especially in a collaborative art form like improv. I think if you are trying to find your voice its…

After a quiet summer, I was in need of a pick-me-up. I get very grumpy and introspective when I don’t get the opportunity to do improv. My improv drought recently ended with a flood: a five-day intensive longform improv class, taught by Charna Halpern.

Al…