I have a particularly talented groups of students at the moment doing a long form course. Here are some general notes I made whilst watching them be brilliant.

1. Give yourself a want Near the beginning of the show, clearly state what your character wants - I may be a lowly janitor at this theme park, but one day I want to be the operator of the biggest ride we have - The Spaghetti Monster!
2. Use specifics It’s much better to say The Spaghetti Monster than merely the rollercoaster - specifics give you texture, a sense of place and identity.
3. Support from the Backline You’ll have your plot-important character to play but that doesn’t mean you can’t support the action with sound effects, background characters or walk-ons. Just be mindful not to take over. A scene set at a Broadway audition would benefit from having two dancers warming up in the background, but not if their stretches are so funny they derail the narrative.
4. Define your relationship with your scene partner Let the audience know how you feel about each other. Know each other from the outset and if you absolutely positively have to be meeting for the first time, assume an instant connection. Often this emotional connection is narratively much more productive than any intellectual discussion of plot points.
5. Ration your plot moves Imagine that every scene only has space for one plot revelation or story move. The rest of the scene should be filled with character interaction or a fun game. In fact, character is game in every sense that counts.
6. Stage your climax at the mid-point In a 5 Act structure, the climax is Act 3. Act 4 is reactions to the climax and Act 5 is the new status quo - how your characters move forwards. So don’t be afraid to have characters achieve their goals earlier in the narrative. Then see what’s next.
7. Do the thing! This is essentially the same point, don’t talk about doing the thing, don’t formulate a plan of action for doing the thing or endlessly debate the logistics for the thing you’re about to do. DO THE THING! BONUS POINT: The thing can be the obvious next move, don’t feel the need to surprise or wrong-foot the audience at every turn.
8. Show don’t tell In a similar vein, don’t talk to us about a character relationship, show us. So instead of saying I really value the advice you give me, Mum, you’re so wise just do a scene where your Mum gives you some good advice.
9. Listen All the time, whether you’re on stage or not. Don’t ever switch off.
10. You don’t have to stage all the big action sequences Shakespeare put most of his battles off-stage, so you don’t have to actually show that climatic pie-eating contest - just show the impact it has on your characters.
11. The Tripod Make sure your first three scenes aren’t immediately related to each other. Those scenes are the legs of the story tripod and the wider apart they are, the more stable your show will be.
12. If you are accused of something, immediately cop to it Don’t try and deny it or make an excuse, the fun begins when you tell them they are right and then see what happens next You’re right, I’ve been a spy for your competitors this whole time. But that doesn’t mean I don’t love you.
13. If you love a character, let them go, they will come back If you’ve had a particularly good scene with another improviser, don’t cling to them like a limpet for the rest of the show. Do scenes with other characters, go on a journey, the audience will love it when you’re reunited.
14. If you’ve made an obvious mistake, don’t double down on it Sometimes we make a knee jerk reaction in a scene, one that doesn’t make narrative sense or is actively harmful on reflection. Use your improv common sense and refrain from yes and-ing that choice*.* Some things can’t be saved.
15. Animate your stage Don’t just stand there and talk to each other. Grab a broom and sweep the courtyard. Play chess. Fold laundry. Be involved in the world around you (but don’t talk about those tasks, they are not the scene).
16. Feel the shape of the show A good story is like a diamond. We start with nothing, we build characters, locations and incident. Halfway through (ish) we stop creating new things and start combining the things we have. You can feel the shape of this as you play. Don’t introduce a completely new character or plot thread in the last 5 minutes - play with the things you’ve already created. Also, not every single thing needs to wrap up with a tidy bow

<aside> 💡 Hey, my name’s Chris Mead. I write an article about improv almost every week. You can get the latest in your inbox by subscribing to my newsletter. Or check out the archive.

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