Relationships in Improv
One line summary: Relationships in improv are not a noun (such as siblings) but how you affect (or relate to) the other person(s) in the scene.
One of the most misunderstood aspects in long form improvisation is the term ‘relationship’. In classes and workshops, improvisers are commonly told you know each other, have a shared history together and generally, to like each other. It is often pointed to ensure who have your three pillars — Who What Where clear at the top of the scene. It is regarded by most as a sine qua non of the start of an improv scene.
The WHO (who your character is and who you are to each other) is to label the relationship — who is this person to you — mother, father, spouse, child, co worker, etc is often one of the most important elements at the top of a scene. In other words — a relationship is defined as a noun — you are THIS to each other — mother son etc for the usual suspects.
There are two aspects to this that are flawed
Get Paul Rabenowitz’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
The NOUN doesn’t affect the TYPE of relationship — it could be a terrible parent, or one who doesn’t like their kid, or a doting smothering or a parent who just wants to be their child’s friend. Defining the relationship as a NOUN is not inherently helpful as it does not guide us towards the characters, or how they feel about each other.
Secondly, we are often told to not play strangers. This is where common improv wisdom is wrong. It is not the NOUN of what is a relationship — bur rather — how are two people relaTING to each other — how do they affect each other. This aspect also finds itself in the two types of scenes which we generally are told not to do, as they have a poor probability of success — teaching and transaction scenes. This approach is articulated also in the Dynamics of the Scene philosophy, notably in Improvising Now by Rob Norman.
This of course can depend on the type of improv you are doing — the pace, form or style. A 45 minute monoscene will let you have greater space to discover and explore, whilst a Harold first beat may require you to find the WHO or the WHAT of the scene a lot quicker.
TJ and Dave in their book. Improvisation at the Speed of Life — speak about the Heat and Weight in a scene. “Weight” refers to the emotional implications of dialogue. The “way” something is said is more important to these improvisers than what is being said. The “heat” refers to the nature of the relationship of two characters.
Using the philosophy of Position Play — if the character is greater than the dynamic between the people, then it’s probably a character based scene.
In summary: play strangers, be affected, inject freedom and fun into your improv.
