A Beginner’s Guide to Improv

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Improv is a form of unscripted performance in which actors create scenes on the spot, often with nothing more than a prompt or loose scenario as a guide. “Improvisational theatre is a form of performing arts where dialogue, characters, and story are created spontaneously by the actors on stage without the limitations of a prepared plan or script,” Keith Johnstone wrote in his book Impro for Storytellers.

Modern improv largely evolved in the 1950s at the University of Chicago, and the technique is now used in drama, comedy, and devised theatre. Contemporary West End hits, such as Showstopper! The Improvised Musical and Austentatious, use improv skills to make a new, different performance every night in front of a delighted audience. 

If you’re onstage with other people, staying open and working together is key. An essential part of improv is not shutting down others’ ideas. “The first rule of improv is to agree, to say yes,” says actor and comedian Tina Fey, who attended improvisational comedy enterprise The Second City and wrote a book about the skills she learnt while there. 

That brings us to the golden rules of improv. If you follow these instructions, you’ll soon start to get the hang of it.

1. Agree to agree.

“When you’re improvising, you are required to agree with whatever your partner has created,” Fey says. Think about the “yes and” technique, which means accepting whatever your fellow actors have suggested and then adding something of your own. “If we’re improvising and I say, ‘Freeze, I have a gun,’ and you say, ‘That’s not a gun. It’s your finger. You’re pointing your finger at me,’ our improvised scene has ground to a halt,” Fey explains in her book, Bossypants. “But if I say, ‘Freeze, I have a gun!’ and you say, ‘The gun I gave you for Christmas? You bastard!’ then we have started a scene because we have agreed that my finger is in fact a Christmas gun.”

2. Support your scene partners.

Collaborative improvisation will make any scene a lot stronger. You should work with your partners and try not to undermine or outshine them. That means listening to the ideas they bring to the exercise, building on what they say and avoiding blocking or rejecting their offerings.

3. Stay present.

Try to stay in the moment and not think about what is coming next. The magic of improv happens when you stop trying to control the outcome.

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Pretty much any actor could benefit from learning improv. It encourages performers to be more relaxed, resilient, and responsive in high-pressure situations, such as auditions. “Improv teaches you connection, listening, groundedness, building character, and how to make bold, interesting, yet logical choices,” actor and improv enthusiast Ambika Mod told the Guardian. “Whenever anyone asks me how to get into acting or wants advice, I always tell them: go and learn improv.” 

So what are some skills you can learn from improvisational acting?

1. It sharpens your listening skills.

To thrive at improv, you have to be a good listener. It’s paramount to be totally present in a scene, and you need to pay attention to what’s being said and how to respond authentically. Humour, improv, and communications coach Julie Ostrow is convinced that the techniques of improv can make anyone a better listener, whether in the context of acting or otherwise. “I believe in using the rules of improvisation: staying present, removing all assumptions, and give and take,” she told MeetingsNet.

2. It builds confidence.

There’s not a lot you can do in terms of preparation for improv, but the more time you spend doing it, the more comfortable you’ll become with uncertainty. It’s an incredibly useful skill that can help you in auditions, when things go wrong on stage, and when you’re network across the industry.

3. It makes you more creative.

Not only does improv require quick thinking, but it also needs good ideas. Some of the most memorable improvised scenes came from taking creative risks. The “we’re all pretty bizarre” scene in The Breakfast Club was reportedly completely improvised, as was Heath Ledger’s famous clapping scene in The Dark Knight. Ryan Gosling improvised a lot as Ken in Barbie, including his memorable “sublime” quip. The less worried you are about doing things right, the better!

4. It teaches you that failing is OK.

Expecting every improv scene to be a masterpiece is unrealistic. Failure is part of the fun of improvising. “No matter who you are or how long you’ve been doing improv, it’s still possible to do a bad show,” Mod says. 

6. It could help you stand out in auditions.

If you’re able to improvise, you likely won’t be fazed by an audition. If a director asks you to try a monologue another way than you’re used to, your improvisation skills will help you adapt quickly and think on your feet.

7. It makes you a team player.

Acting usually isn’t a solo sport. Improv teaches you how to be generous, support other actors, and work as a team. The writer Rachel Aroesti describes improv as generating a “surplus of genuine human connection.”

8. It is good fun.

Improv reminds you that acting is all about play and experimentation. Working with other improvisers can be very enjoyable too. “The games played in improv might bore a typical 8-year-old,” author and designer Scott Berkun wrote of his time in improv class. “But for adults, they’re wonderful.… When I jump in all the way, I’m surprised by what I can do.”

You don’t need to be a trained actor to get into improv. You just need to be open to trying something new. Below are some ways you may test your improv skills.

• Join an improv group: Look for an intro workshop or drop in at a local theatre. Many improv schools run beginner courses with no experience necessary. Check out groups such as Hoopla and the Free Association, which offer classes online and at their London bases. 
• Play improv games: Even classic exercises such as “What are you doing?” (in which a person miming an activity is asked what they’re doing and has to reply with the name of another activity) and character hot-seating (in which an in-character actor is questioned about their background, thoughts, and feelings) can help you loosen up and begin trying improv techniques.
• Watch live improv: Seeing how others do it can give you an idea of improv’s craft. Look up nights from companies such as Duck Duck Goose and shows such as Showstopper!
• Practise with friends: Grab a fellow actor and set a timer. Make up a scene together and see what happens.

Improv is not just a style of performance, it’s a mindset. For actors, improvising teaches many important lessons, including trusting yourself and the people around you. It can also be a powerful way to grow as a performer and improve your craft.

So take a deep breath, say “yes and,” and see where it takes you.