By my calculations, we'll be hitting 200 issues of The Pretend Post on 31st December 2025.

I always want to do something special for a landmark issue and this year I’ve decided to gather as many answers as I can to the following question:

What is your favourite visual image, mental model or metaphor to explain a facet of improv?

I'll unpack that a little more, it was suggested to me by the brilliant improviser Alex Menhams. Basically, is there an image, a metaphor or a story that you use to explain an aspect of improv more concisely?

Some examples would be:

If you bring a brick and I bring a brick then together we'll build a cathedral.

Playing a scene is like a game of table tennis - after each line of dialogue (SMACK!) you have to let there be a reaction (BOUNCE!) before you say your line in response (SMACK!). And so it goes on.

A good improviser is like a dog in a play stance - paws out, head up, tail wagging. They are using everything available to them to SIGNAL they want to play with you.

I'm interested in collecting as many as possible (the dream is 200 but we'll have to see).

Please send them to me in whatever format makes sense: you can draw a picture, take a photo, make a graph, film a video, or simply write it. Or maybe something I haven't thought of? Make a sculpture? I guess I've thought of that now too.

Please do include your name and a social media handle or website if you'd like.

Deadline is 22nd December 2025.

<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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