Rehearsal Note 10-29
The big idea
Play what your partner just gave you
Listen to the last thing said. Do not zoom past it with your own idea. Takeaway, distilled from the coach's remarks (not a quote): a clear character makes it easier to know what to say. Without one, you are looking around for the answer.
What we played
One-Word Story
Fran makes a smoothie. One word at a time, past tense, and start with Fran. Use action verbs, not thoughts or feelings. Do not manufacture conflict. If something odd happens, justify it and get back to the smoothie. Then we cracked six eggs, one at a time.
Last Word
Start your line with the last word your partner said. Pluralize if you must. If you do not know what to say, do something. Do not let us watch you think.
That's Interesting
Say it, then build on what they just said with new facts. Yes-and, not yes-anyways. Stay with facts over opinions. Scenes this round: a creamery, a tailgate party, monkeys at the zoo.
What That Means Is
Repeat the last line, then say what that means about you, them, or both. Find the labels early. No outside people, no future. Get specific: you keyed my car last week beats you are a bad boyfriend. Scenes: fancy hotel lobby, dance academy, farmer's market in Santa Barbara.
Notes to take home
Crack each egg
Do the small steps. Open the fridge, grab the carton, crack one egg. The tiny steps are how a character shows up. Try it on any boring task this week.
Build it, do not break it
Improvisers want to destroy what they build. Fight that. Just make the sandwich and let the character come through the action.
Space work is a reaction
Stay with your partner long enough to see how they take what you said. Then look away. Talk with intent.
Find the unusual thing
Before you talk, find what is unusual about you and about your partner. Make a character choice before the first line.
Get beneath the game
The game sits on top of the relationship. Two people who want to connect is the real scene.
Also this week
Saturday show
Strong audience response. Radio, genre switching, and the beach volleyball scene got big laughs. Per Mark's recap to the coach at rehearsal, he heard several people say it was one of the strongest Panda shows. This is his report, not independent reviews.
Open question for coach
The horror-genre game in the show: one Panda lost the thread and wanted to talk it through. Mark said he would raise it later.