This past weekend marks the one year debut of Loaded Dice. Of course we worked hard rehearsing before that, but we hit the stage on the very first Improv Thunderdome performance ever. We rocked the sold out house.
A year later, we have done four additional full shows, plus a few sets 30 minutes or less. This coming year we look to do about six full shows.
Thunderdome this time around featured Kill the DJ, Scriptease and Holy Cow! (from Rockhurst University). Kill the DJ wins with two members of Loaded Dice leading the charge and two improv students of mine shining on stage. Okay, so I taught Jeremy only a little bit, but I am still proud of their set. Good job guys! They did a longform with a gimmick: the only way to switch to a new character was to die. So the story was fun and rambling as the characters died and new ones took the audience to new locations. Yeah, some stuff was hack. The audience loved it, and was appropriately silent if something didn't hit or if it felt forced.
Scriptease was off. They lacked energy and their set was just a little too random for the audience I think. Thank goodness they went first! The guys are great improvisers and I enjoy their previous sets a lot. Too bad they didn't hit that night.
Holy Cow! Performed some short form games. The energy was okay, I think they were nervous. Cindy Paasch (gosh, I hope I spelled that right) led the pack of eight, which just seemed like too many people. They started with Gibberish Murder, and it was rough. Then they reqrouped and put on a nice show. Yeah, it was nice. It could be I am jaded because I performed short form so long that I watched from the booth and went, "oh thats wrong... I would have done this...they should do this...why aren't they doing that..." Also, they read their games off a piece of paper. I know, I know, I shouldn't be so critical... but we just got lambasted on Cindy's blog for not being critical enough.
So that brings me to...
We are too nice as a group of improvisers in Kansas City. I liked the idea that good improvisers are a breed above the rest. I used to look up to people like Corey Rittmaster and Rob Lawrence for guidance as to what I was doing wrong, what I needed to do right. Now, people look to me to ask that and it is a nice feeling. And I am nice back. Sometimes, though, I just want to tell someone that they suck and that they need to work on it or stop doing improv. It got told to me, and it made me work on it. It got told to my old roommate, and he stopped.
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7 comments:
You make a very good point. I find it difficult to know how far to go when I am giving critque to someone who is also someone I socialize with, but I don't know well enough to have an idea of how they'll take my feedback. Does that make sense?
How do we get around that?
My take: To be nice, you give feedback only when you're asked, and in private, not public—leave the reviewing to the reviewers. Once you've been asked, you can say whatever you want, and shouldn't be concerned about hurting feelings—as long as you're constructive, and offer hints with your criticism.
Why the self-censorship?? This is the Internet, for crying out loud.
But seriously, if you know comedy, and you've seen a show (a public thing), you're fine to comment on it. I'm not saying to flame mercilessly, but there's nothing wrong with speaking your mind.
Sure, blurt all you want. I'm just saying it's worth considering what you really mean to accomplish.
Reviewers provide a public service (in theory, anyway) by offering objective advice on what to see or do (or not). So, by reviewing other troupes, are you providing a public service? Building your street cred as an improv expert? "Helping improv"? Or just listening to yourself talk?
And it's probably worth thinking about who reads your stuff. The Interwebs enable lots and lots of unfortunate relationship and communication choices. Offering unsolicited criticism is one of the big ones—if you give a crap about relationships, anyway.
Just sayin'. It''s not about being nice. But it MIGHT be about not being an asshole.
"But it MIGHT be about not being an asshole."
Someone called? If you're going to comment/critique/extoll/lambast/whatever, be prepared for the fallout.
Good points all, Mr. Morgan.
And to Steaming: Damn straight. Consider the repercussions, people.
it was a rough night for us. i agree that for that venue, 8 people is too many. and you're right, we were nervous.
ah, well, ya win some ya lose some.
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