Yes!

We stand in a circle. I start the game off by pointing to A somewhere in my line of vision. As soon as I point at A, she says YES! and I start moving towards her. She has just given me permission to take her spot. And I intend to take her spot! So as soon as she says yes! to me she finds someone, say B to point to. B says yes! And A starts moving towards B's spot to take it. B must point to C and get a yes! before A gets to B's spot. Now two things: You can't take a single step unless you've asked for permission (by pointing) and received permission (a yes!). Once you have these two things you swiftly move to your new spot. If the person whose spot you are going to has not managed to point and get a yes! and start moving, you have full permission to tickle the hell out of them!

Yes! is an amazing improv game to train the subconscious to accept. In improv theater teachers are always saying accept, accept, accept! Instead of talking about accepting why not play a game? Let the subconscious do the job of learning!

'Accept' does not mean you should do what you are being told to in a scene. All it means is that you acknowledge what the other player is saying and doing. If A says to B, pick that chair up, B does not have to pick up the chair! That does not make the scene interesting. But B must acknowledge that that's what A wants of B. B may or may not do it.

That's what creates dramatic tension. Simplistic following of the 'accept' and other improv 'rules' leads to insipid, forgettable, characters doing insipid, forgettable things.

Let us free ourselves of rules and create. Say YES!

May the pulse be with you!

Abhay

Image: Yoko Ono's masterpiece. There is a light. Under it is a ladder. You look up and see a magnifying glass hanging by the light. You are curious. You climb all the way to the top of the ladder. You see a squiggle but can't make out what it is with the naked eye. You take the magnifying lens in your hand and look through it. The squiggle comes into focus. It says, 'yes!'. 

New Improv vs Traditional Improv

It is time to revitalize improv theater. I imagine the New Improv would have to engage the subconscious mind and disengage the conscious mind.

When I watch great performers I see that they seem to be powered by something other than their conscious thinking mind. It is like they have accessed this source of raw creative energy and then are simply basking in it. And I am beginning to think that the reason why watching these great performers is so compelling is because we in the audience get to partake of, even perhaps for just a moment, the delicious and juicy raw creative force.

I believe that the subconscious mind is where the pure, raw energy resides and that the New Improv theater should focus on accessing and drawing out this energy into visible form. On the other hand Traditional Improv has focused far too much and far too long on the use of the conscious mind: quickly framing a scene using words, for instance. There is nothing wrong with the use of language in a scene but when the words come out of the conscious, thinking mind, they contain little power and the actor is not accessing his or her full potential.

In the New Improv I suggest we allow our thinking minds (the conscious mind) to take a hike and allow our bodies to take over the scene, feeling the scene rather than thinking it. You can then feel your mind relax and you give your self a chance to connect with the pulse.

And when you are connected to your pulse and not trying to be clever or quick but just allowing your crazy subconscious self to inhabit your body, you are pure raw creative energy and you surprise your self. When that happens it is such a treat!

The New Improv theater is the theater of the subconscious.

May the pulse be with you,

Abhay

Image: Brian Eno's brilliant creative 'block busters'.