BATS and Keith Johnstone

It was an interesting change of tact to go from 5 weeks being taught by iO to 5 days with BATS and Johnstone. I like both improv traditions, which seems to be pretty unusual in my experience. In Chicago most people don't know who Johnstone is and if they do they consider him irrelevant, within the Johnstone group people generalise Chicago as comedy barprov (there are of course exceptions). Both sides seem unwilling to give the other the time of day, bad experiences of either are remembered as the norm . However, I find it difficult to find clear differences between the two traditions. In essence they emphasise different aspects of improv. To generalise Johnstone tends to have a more theatrical bent behind it whereas Chicago tends to have cabaret behind it (I do not think this makes for less theatrical shows though). In my experience the teachers in the Johnstone tradition have taken their time on how to teach, they are interested in the art of teaching. The Johnstone tradition feels a bit more geeky to me than the Chicago tradition. The Johnstone tradition tends to focus on the individual: emotion, status, body language. The Chicago tradition tends to focus on how to make a scene work. At iO there is also a focus on group work (made explicit with their Harold signature long form). In many respects talking about a Chicago traditions misses the different ideas prevalent in the Chicago improv tradition.

The reason for doing the course in San Francisco was to hear Keith before he dies. I wanted to get the words straight from his mouth rather than being fed it second-hand. It was worthwhile doing the course. Although after the second day I was very disappointed by Keith. During the third day he seemed to become more inspired by his own teaching and his enthusiasm picked up dramatically. Keith said some things over the course that I will take with me and remember. He did not tell me anything I haven't heard before. I think the teachers he taught are better at teaching than he is. Rebecca Stockley and William Hall at BATS appeared to be excellent teachers. The mask work with William was amazing, and has made me want to pursue mask work in the future. I also found Alan Marriot at the Crunchy Frog Collective in London to be an excellent teacher (especially for musical improv). If you are in San Francisco it is worth visiting BATS (Bay Area Theatresports) to see performances in the Johnstone tradition.

As ever my classmates were great fun to be around. We all seemed to get on really well together. It was only 5 days but we seemed to hit it off. I was staying at the HI hostel just round the corner from the venue. Luckily enough for me one of the guys from the course (Jeremey, from Edmonton) was also staying there so we ended up hanging out and doing some sightseeing after the course. (His perspective on Johnstone is quite different to mine. Johnstone had the effect on him that Miles Stroth did for me. )

Chicago - thoughts and feelings

I had an absolutely brilliant time in Chicago. The course was superb with excellent teachers. The people in my class and other classes were friendly and interesting. There was always someone to chat to after class or at a show in the evening. iO was a great place to hang around as a novice to improv in Chicago. I enjoyed going to see shows at Second City, the Playground, the Spot, and at Annoyance. It was great to be able to guest spot in Dirty Water.

Having Jon as a local connection gave my time in Chicago even more dimensions. He got me the guest spot in DW. He is a man who appears to know every improviser in Chicago so he introduced me to lots of people. His friends were all really nice to me. I was entertained at many parties by interesting people. It gave me a perspective on improv outside of iO and a perespective on Chicago as a city to live. It also meant I didn't go stir craxy simply staying in iO and staying with my class all the time.

Chicago as a city is great. Public transport is excellent. Everything is within relatively easy walking distance. Downtown is big enough to be interesting without being suffocating. The buildings downtown are very pretty. The parks are beautiful, the beaches are great. The nightlife is varied. The weather was hot and sunny the majority of the time I spent there. The people were friendly and helpful. It is improv mecca.

One of the great things about Chicago is hanging out in bars with fellow improvisers, and 'star' improvisers. Miles actively encouraged us to drink with him in the bar during the final week and discuss improv. After I saw TJ and Dave (another great show) I got chatting to TJ about his guest spot with Dirty Water in September and we chatted about my travel plans (TJ is a top bloke). I chatted with Noah (of iO fame) about improv in the UK and I spoke to Joe Bill on a few occasions.

Improv in Chicago - End of Week 5

This is a bit late...

Miles Stroth is amazing! He was our teacher for Level 5. I have never looked at improv from his perspective before and I found it insightful and helpful. He is a tough guy with a reputation to boot but very fair and supportive. We spent the first day working on scenes (he saw us do some scenes to start with and said that they "sucked") and then the following three days were spent learning his Deconstruction long-form whilst continuing to work on scenes within this structure. The final performance we put on was very good and the group worked really well together. In a large part this was due to his teaching and making us do the Deconstruction. The form allowed the group to be presented in the best light, with everyone getting their moment in the spotlight. I am hoping to do some workshops with him when I get to LA.

On Tuesday night of my last week in Chicago I went to see the Second City mainstage show. It was very good entertainment (a sketch show with some improv) and the performers were very slick. However, it didn't feel like they were taking any risks. It felt extremely safe. This is not a bad thing necessarily as they sell out every night and need to put on a good show every night.

On a side note, the funniest Harold I have seen was Deep Schaw on Sunday night.

Update it

I am a bit behind with updating the blog. Quick note to say all going well. The course with Keith Johnstone finished yesterday, it was well worth doing. I am in San Fran for a few more days then on my way to Vancouver on Wednesday.

Anti-Social Behaviour

The HI Fishermans Wharf hostel is pretty good. The place is generally clean. The staff are friendly. There is a cafe in the premises where you can get meals throughout the day. There are computers. It is right round the corner from where I am doing my course. By hostel standards it is very good. However, specific to this hostel are the communal showers (don't drop the soap). Also it is in a kind of park, Fort Mason, where there are skunks. One of the guys from the course is staying at the hostel and he warned me about them, we have run into a few already.

The problem with any hostel is that you don't really have any personal space or privacy, plus your ability to get sleep is dependent on other people. My first two nights here were perfectly fine, apart from the normal disturbance when someone comes home. However, last night two Australian boys joined our room at 3am. They brought a young lady home with them. One of the Australian boys decided it would be nice if he got to know her a bit better. I was sleeping through all this until one of the guys in the room told the Australian to get rid of the girl. A general argument ensued and I chucked my two pennies worth in. The problem was resolved and I went back to sleep. At 4am I woke again to here the Australian chatting to the girl at which point she left and I went back to sleep. I was then woken again at 5am by the sound of a pneumatic drill, the Australian was snoring. I have never heard snoring like it. I did everything to cover my ears to no avail. I went to the reception and asked what I was allowed to do to snorers. I was told nothing, but they supplied me with ear plugs. The ear plugs failed to stem the noise. After an hour the snoring subdued only to be combined with talking in his sleep (how I realised he was Australian).

Amtrak and San Francisco

After two and a half days I have finally made it to San Francisco. The train arrived 4 hours late, which is apparently pretty good. My carriage wasn't too busy apart from the first day so I was able to have two seats to myself. Travelling by train is a great way to see some scenery (I will be getting my pictures from my trip online soon). It is also a good way to meet people. On the first day I chatted to the guy sitting next to me. I then went for dinner and ended up sitting with this family of three who were on their way back from a weekend in Chicago. We got chatting and it turned out that their son was a train buff. I found a lot of information about Amtrak, a touch geeky but interesting nevertheless. At the end of the meal they paid for my dinner, which was very nice of them. The next day I had breakfast with a couple and an author. I had dinner with a teacher from Berkeley. The following day I had breakfast with an old guy who discussed catching wild horses in Nevada (and prostitutes which he called cats), a guy from Sacramento and a guy starting university in California. For lunch I met up with the couple from the day before, who paid for my meal. I wasn't begging for people to pay for my meals, nor was I saying I was poverty stricken. It just seems that I met lots of nice people on the train. They all seemed fascinated by my Englishness, the improvisation, and my travels.

I am writing this blog entry from the Hostel at Fisherman's Wharf San Francisco. It is quite a big place with lots of guests. I am in a four bed dorm. There appear to be quite a mixture of accents. I will go and explore tomorrow.

Hair cut

I decided to venture deep into male grooming today by getting my hair cut. In the past I would go to George and Savas, they would run a trimmer over my head, pull hair out with blunt scissors, and remove skin from my neck. I then grew my hair a bit longer and went to a Salon where they cut your hair with scissors. Last week a couple of gays (typo - guys) from my class went to a men only Salon called 'Halo'. Not only did they have a haircut, but for 25 quid they had the 'Man' treatment, this includes haircut & style, scalp massage, shampoo and conditioning treatment, parafffin hand wax, hand massage, mini facial, cleanup shampoo, and a complimentary beverage. They also told me that there were loads of free things in the Salon for you to take, for instance in the restroom there is shaving foam and razors so you can have a shave while you wait. I arrived early and made use of the facilities. When I arrived I realised that the Salon was not aimed at the cheap traveller market, rather the young whistle and flute city types, I was under-dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. The Salon was distinctly not aimed at the gay market as there appeared to be only beautiful women working. I got the impression that my stylist wasn't best pleased to have a random English guy rather then the usual suited clientele. The 'Man" treatment was different to anything I have experienced before. The paraffin hand wax is weird because you dip your hands in wax then wear mittens for 5 minutes before getting your hands massaged. The facial was also weird as you have a hot damp towel draped over your face. You know when its a fancy hair cut when your stylist doesn't cut hair with the scissors normally but instead shreds the hair with an open blade. I like the hair cut and for 25 quid you can't go wrong.

Accent Adventures

The urban legend that American women collapse at any English guy's feet due to the accent has so far proved to be inaccurate (although I haven't said "I am from Basildon). In New York very few people commented on the accent due to it not being unusual with the number of expats living in NY and the number of English tourists. In Chicago the number of comments has increased significantly. Somewhat surprisingly alot of these comments have come via the improv. It appears very few English improvisers come to Chicago. On Monday morning, after I had performed in a couple of scenes, Miles Stroff queried whether it was my real accent or if I had been method acting all morning. A few people have commented that I sound like the Beatles (John Lennon especially apparently). I can't imagine what Lennon would think about this.

I had a couple of run-ins with Keith Johnstone over my accent. On the second day I was in a scene, he stopped it because he couldn't understand what I had just said. He asked if I was English, I said yes, he replied "Not from the England I know". This irritated me a touch. It was a joke at my expense and a bit snobby. Anyway on the final I was in a scene and again he stopped it because he misheard what I said, I explained what I said, and then said "This is how we speak in modern England". This drew laughs and gasps from the gallery. Johnstone didn't respond.

I was at a party with Jon, which spilled onto the adjoining roof. Opposite the roof was a balcony where two ladies were enjoying the evening air. The party goers decided to try and persuade these ladies that it would be a good idea to join the party. They declined. The group then decided that my accent would save the day. I went over to charm them with Estuary English (for the sake of the party). They yelled back that they doubted it was a real accent.

So far the people who seem most impressed by my accent are women with boyfriends. When I was in New York Rachel's cousin's girlfriend asked me to speak because she wants to marry an English guy. Adam's girlfriend told me that she liked the way I pronounced 'th' as 'f' (after playing the Cockney villain in Dirty Water). When I went to see Second City I chatted to the girl sitting next to me, as we neared the end of the conversation she informed me (in hushed tones) that I should really use the accent as American girls love it.

I have taken to telling everyone that I am from London and if they show any further interest I tell them that in actual fact I am from Essex. A number of people seem genuinely delighted to learn that I am from England because they can then inform me of a random story of when they went to England (I do the same thing reversed). A lot of American guys seem pleased to speak to me because then they can chat about football. I quite enjoy this and in general they are pretty well informed. There is a pretty healthy interest in the Premiership and there was a great deal of interest in the World Cup.

Ball game

I went to my first ball game on Friday. It was the Chicago Cubs vs. the Pittsburg Pirates. The Cubs were thrashed 6-0, losing is apparently a tradition for them (although they beat the Pirates on Saturday and Sunday). Wrigley Field (the Cubs' stadium) was built about one hundred years ago. It is a very pretty place to sit and watch a game. The atmosphere inside is a little strange because most people there seem to be there to chat to their friends rather than watch the game. This makes it friendly but there isn't really much cheering or any chanting. In the 7th inning the whole crowd gets to their feet and sings a song. The crowd get most excited when a ball goes into the crowd and someone attempts to catch it. I was sitting up in the gods in the top tier. It was a pretty good view. I went for a wander to get a beer and watched the rest of the game from different parts of the stadium as no one challenged me. I would recommend going to see a game if you are in Chicago but don't bother with an expensive ticket just go for a wander. Also it doesn't matter if you don't know what is going on as you can just follow the crowd when they decide to applaud or boo. I got a bit over-confident with this appluading loudly when one of the Cubs' was run out (I don't know the correct term).

4th August 2006 - Wrigley Field

A night at the Annoyance

I have only seen one show at the Annoyance during my time in Chicago. It was their opening night for their new venue, Susan Messing and Mick Napier doing a montage, it was superb. The cherry on top was that it was free, there was free pizza and I got to meet Mick Napier.

Last night I went to see 3 of their shows; President Bush is a Great Man, Grabass, and the Crickets (improv show). Pres Bush was excellent. It was a very clever satire of songs and short sketches. The performers were great. What really made it stand out from the crowd was the choreography. The scene changes were transitions involving the whole cast coming on to the stage and then leaving again. It was very smooth and didn't feel forced. In some ways like the transitions in a very good Harold opening. Grabass (described to me as the most retarded show in Chicago) was to say the least weird. It was the cast of Pres Bush with Mick Napier doing a series of weird sketches or character monologues. It wasn't hilarious but it was entertaining. One of the most peculiar images I will take away with me will be Napier playing the Cookie Monster (he also played an Ant and a stroke victim). The Crickets again were the cast of Pres Bush and Napier, performing a montage. There were only 4 audience members by this stage so they were having fun for themselves. A number of scenes didn't really get going, but the ones that did could run and run. When I was leaving I very briefly spoke to Napier and then I bumped into TJ, telling him how great his Wednesday night show was. He had a beautiful woman on his arm who must grow frustrated that blokes only have eyes for her other half. One of the nicest things about the improv community in Chicago is the ability to go and talk to the improv 'stars'. The vast majority of times they are friendly and accepting of compliments.

Improv in Chicago - End of Week 4

Pat O'Brien was our teacher for Level 4. Level 4 is learning the Harold. Pat is a member of one of the iO house teams, the Reckoning. The Reckoning are the fashionable house team of the moment. Their Harolds' are the ones that lots of improvisers go to watch. They are known for their group work. Therefore it was fascinating to get Pat's perspective on the Harold. It gave me an insight in to how the Reckoning approach the Harold and explains why they make the decisions they do on stage. In essence the message was use the Harold to explore things that make you excited, don't simply go through the motions of a story for the sake of it, simply take elements you like and be inspired by them. I watched the Reckoning last night and the most notable thing was how much fun Jake and Pat were having, it was infectious.

I found Level 4 the most difficult so far. We spent much of our time running through openings and games. While I appreciated this for understanding and improving our Harolds I would have liked to have done more scene work. Next week Level 5 involves learning different long forms and developing our own for our final performance on Friday.

My class had another performance last night. It was pretty good if a touch chaotic. The group work is extremely committed and people catch on to patterns very quickly. It is an interesting experience performing with 12 players in 25 minutes.

I saw TJ and Dave again this week. Last week's show was funnier but that doesn't mean that this week was any less entertaining. TJ and Dave seem to be able to discover real characters and stories on stage which you can immediately relate to. Everything they say and do is simply the next logical step. It is also good to see how much fun they are having doing it, at times making each other laugh. The support from the audience is phenomenal.

Prayer

On Friday I went downtown to do some sightseeing. I was taking some pictures at the Buckingham Fountain (biggest water fountain in the World) when an old woman and a young attractive woman approached me. I thought this was strange. They introduced themselves and said that they noticed I was taking some photographs and wondered if I was from out of town. I explained I was in Chicago doing an acting/comedy course (improv can be too complicated to explain at times) and that this was part of a larger tour for me. They seemed genuinely interested and were very nice and polite. They explained that they were doing sightseeing in the afternoons and evenings because they were spending their days at the University of Chicago studying the Bible. At this point alarm bells went off in my head and explained why an old woman and an attractive woman would approach a random bloke at a fountain. They asked whether I would mind discussing my religious beliefs, being English and not wishing to be rude to two people who had been very polite and nice I agreed. I launched into an explanation of increasing secularism in the UK, a trend seen across Western Europe, stating that most people attend Church for births, deaths and marriages but that was about it. They said that they felt happy because they knew Jesus loved them (I did think this a bit presumptuous but I didn't query their confidence) and that their beliefs had filled a void in their lives. I advised them that maybe when I realise my own mortality or have some near-death experience or find a void that I might turn to religion. I do find it disconcerting to speak to people who are so dogmatic in their beliefs. I think born again Christians are quite off-putting because they are so 'nice' with it. They asked me if I could be included in their prayers that evening and if I had any problems on my mind. I told them that I didn't have a care in the world, I was tempted to mention the Israel-Lebanon conflict but decided not to, and that evening prayers wouldn't be required. They then asked if they could pray for me right then, again they said it nicely so I couldn't be rude and say no. What then proceeded was a very awkward moment of them praying for me and me standing there holding my camera looking like a lemon. I am sure they send old women and attractive young women on these escapades because it is unlikely a man is going to be rude to either and combined makes it doubly difficult. After all that they took my picture by the fountain, what can I say they were nice.

You can see the pictures on www.flickr.com/photos/skimmens

The best make mistakes

I went to see the Armando at iO tonight (the Armando is a long form format, one of the players performs monologues based on the suggestion and the scenes are inspired by the monologues). The Armando at iO is basically the All-Star game. Players from Second City mainstage, from different iO teams and teachers without troupes, perform. These guys are very experienced have been there done that and bought the t-shirt. Now they only get together once week and the line-up of players changes each week, so its not like they have the luxury of building a group mind.

I have seen the show 3 times since I have been in Chicago. Tonight's show had a really tight first half where people were bouncing off each other's ideas brilliantly. Scenes were allowed to develop further then I have seen before and short gag driven scenes were chucked in to vary the pace. The second half started in much the same fashion, however, a few scenes started to go array. This is not unusual in an improv show. What was surprising was that they then started coming out saying "You read your lines wrong lets do that again". Thereby breaking the illusion of the 4th wall, and saying to the audience "ouu this is going badly lets see if we can cover it up". For me this is one of the worst things you can do as an improviser. If a scene is going badly then either edit it off or come in and heighten it. It got to the stage where you could tell that they were willing the lights to go down as they got stuck in treacle towards the end.

The point of this blog is not to rinse the players but as a demonstration to aspiring improvisers that it is ok to cock up, it happens to the best.