Learn to say, “Yes, and…”
The basis of all good improvisational acting is a simple game called “Yes, and…” The idea is simple: One actor says or does something, and a second actor builds on it. She does this by acknowledging the first actor’s “offer,” then adding a little something of her own. The exchange then continues: The first actor accepts the second’s offer and adds an idea of his own, and on it goes.
During this seemingly simple process, an amazing thing happens: As if out of thin air, a story is born. It thrives as long as the actors continue to accept each other’s offers. The moment “Yes, and…” becomes “No,” or even “Yes, but…,” the story begins to die.
We are all in the process of writing our own life stories. If yours seems derailed, perhaps it’s because you’ve been saying “No” or “Yes, but…” when you should be saying “Yes, and…”
(If you want to learn more about improv, there’s one book you must read: Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre by Keith Johnstone.)
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