Reflection on Improvisation Research project

The research Project was interesting and informative over all. It allowed us to experiment with different forms of improv. I for one had not realized that there were different types of improvisation. This meant that the hardest part of the project was researching improvisation techniques that I could use. I debated betwen Commedia dell arte and the Harold. In the end, I chose the Harold because it was more interesting in my opinion. Then, with the research done, I designed by mini-workshop. The hardest part was to fit the techniques that I wanted to practice into fifteen minutes. Still, I managed to come up with a plan that included the main techniques of the Harold- forming a scene around a word and forming three different scenes that all relate to the same word. The others found it hard. They found it hard to come up with one well-developed scene, and even harder to invent three. The first scene lasted a few minutes but the others fell apart very soon. I realized that my technique was quite hard. However, my group could have put in more effort and more energy. They were not exactly co-operating with each other. However, I learned new techniques from them as well. I learned about Commedia dell arte and about how it is based upon different characters that wear masks. This makes it easier to improvise because you have a certain personality, a certain character to refer to. What kind of situation would they get into? What would they do or say at this point?  Our group also learned about an improv game that is very near “Die , Story, Die”. You are in a group, and in order you begin to tell the story, with the moderator pointing at you when it is your turn to talk. However, you do not die. This is a useful technique to practice improvisation as it tests your ability to think on you feet. This game actually worked very well in our group. Christian who had planned the experiment did a good job. These were all of the improv techniques that our group had, since several people did Commedia dell arte. All of these are great in terms of having fun with improv, but on a more serious level the story game is the best. Like I just said, you have to think on your feet to come up with a plausible continuation of the story. This is one of the hardest skills of improv, so this game should definitely be used. Then games like the Harold actually work, though it is good for practicing establishing platforms. I contemplated making the group establish three platforms based on the word. The idea would be that if the a good platform is establish, the audience can already see where that scene is going and how it differs from the other scenes based on that word. However, it is difficult and not the objective of the Harold, so I chose not to do that. Commedia dell arte is a great technique to try if you are starting with improv as you have support from the characters. It could also be that you focus too much on the character, and not enough on the scene, but I doubt it. All in all, it was a successful project.