I was standing on a hill with friends last night, and in the distance you could see the lights of a city.
What city? We weren’t sure. I was convinced it was Sacramento, but realized it might simply be Roseville.
And then, we all started laughing, and listing cities even FURTHER west. Maybe we were staring at San Francisco, or taking in the beauty of Tokyo. Was that Paris we were admiring? Perhaps!
And, then everything took a turn, and we didn’t just talk about cities in the West…we talked about ANY city. Maybe it was Los Angeles or do I spy Big Ben from London?
It was silly, but it was fun, and it was with friends of varying improv experience.
And you know what? Everyone could “play the game,” because it started with laughter.
We noticed an odd truth, “Paul confused Roseville for Sacramento,“ and we heightened it by making that scenario even stranger. Paul can’t distinguish Paris from Roseville?
It’s easy when it starts with what makes you smile. Sometimes “Finding the Game” feels like a walled-off idea you’re “not ready for“ until Level 4 in improv. It'll take you WEEKS to comprehend the idea!
I don't think so.
It’s not complex, it’s observing something unusual, and heightening. And it’s even easier when you’re just paying attention to the thing that makes you giggle onstage. Why did it make you giggle? What’s inside that event that could be heightened? You know there’s something there…and more importantly it brought you a lot of joy….so it’ll be fun to explore.
Finding the Game should start with what's the fun unusual thing you notice. It’s not calculus…unless calculus is your fun.
I don’t know. I’m not trying to preach….I’m just trying to say, it’s easier than it might sound in class or a book. If you get nervous about finding the game, just imagine the stage is a hill and your team are friends, and you’re just laughing together about something odd you noticed. You’ll have more fun , walk offstage happier, and that’s a great result.
