Theatre Improvisation (the Spolin method)

Theatre Improvisation is now very popular and is used in many contexts. It has become popular due to televised and live theatre-games shows. However, there are in principal a number of different forms of theatre improvisation (or ‘games’); firstly, Improvisation used for performance, practiced by skilled professional practitioners; secondly, Improvisation used in school and other educational establishments (including drama therapy) which is primarily issue-based, using ‘scenarios’ and ‘role play’.

The Spolin method is a form of improvisation enabling freedom of an intuitive approach. It is equitable, affirming, practical and a lot of fun, by nature enabling the participants to start to get to grips with such issues as:

Stage fright
Acute self-consciousness or embarrassment
Lack of self-belief or confidence
Communication or team work issues
Lack of self-discipline
‘Corpsing’ (laughing) or ‘Drying’ (forgetting lines) in performance or presentation.

Viola Spolin

“Games and story bring out self rather than ego” (Viola Spolin)

Viola Spolin was a pioneer in the development of theatre games and improvisation in Chicago and Hollywood since the 1920s until she died in 1994. Acclaimed by the magazine Film Quarterly, her improvisational techniques changed the very nature and practice of modern theatre. These techniques have also influenced the fields of education, mental health, social work and psychology. She won many awards in her lifetime for her contribution to professional, educational, community and children’s theatre.

Imagination and Intuition

“Shut off the mind. When the rational mind is shut off, we have the possibility of intuition”. (Viola Spolin)

Two key components of good performance are the ability to use imagination and intuition. Students are encouraged to understand that the classroom is a place where “anything can happen” (within safe, legal boundaries!) This will develop imagination and intuition. Without them feeling that the environment is safe where imagination can run wild and mistakes are allowed, the students will play safe, only operating within what they consider “normality” which is very restricted to their own limited life experience . This is particularly true of teenagers, who in any case are self-conscious at first. The ‘What if.... ‘concept’ (Stanislavsky) is essential for the actor to produce quality work.

Equality in the classroom

It speaks for itself that all participants must be treated equally. However, in the performing arts, this can be a challenge when some ‘shine’ out of natural ability or lack of inhibition, and others are lacking in apparent ability, confidence or self-belief. However, quite often the quiet ones will reveal tremendous potential when given confidence! Spolin’s exercises act as a leveller to participants regardless of natural or trained ability, as they require focus, concentration and ‘solving problems’ rather than ‘performance’, entertainment or making others laugh.

Note on non-participation in exercises: Some very shy students will try to opt out of certain exercises. We set a tone from the beginning that ‘everybody takes part’, or ‘everyone gets a turn’, because to allow them to opt out will never build their confidence (they wouldn’t be there if they didn’t want to take part!) If some are particularly resistant they are encouraged to do the activity with a friend or group of friends. This very quickly builds confidence and within a short time many will be volunteering for activities!

Life Skills

“With intuitive awareness comes a feeling of certainty!” (Viola Spolin)

These exercises, when used properly, can be a very good medium for developing many life skills. Self discipline and self control are achieved through learning to take instruction and learning to focus. Team work is very much a part of this process as students have to learn to work together and solve problems together (grouping is always assigned randomly and varied regularly). Through this they develop self confidence and learn to take initiative. Those with leadership potential will begin to show those characteristics and this potential can be drawn out. Students in process learn to deal with success and failure as well as disappointment. They learn to accept praise and constructive criticism, they learn perseverance.

Concentration and Focus

Acting requires a good deal of concentration and the ability to ‘sustain’ this. Acting has often been compared to the use of ‘muscles’ and requires training like any skill. The exercises developed by Viola Spolin encourage just that. A workshop can only introduce these training methods but ongoing work will develop the sustainability of concentration that an actor needs.

Discipline Brings Freedom

There is a long-held belief that drama involves participants simply ‘acting out’ emotions and speaking out text. Drama involves a huge degree of skill and the more natural and ‘realistic’ the actor, the more skill he/she has acquired. This cannot be done without discipline and it is proved time and time again that lack of discipline leads to limp and uninteresting work. The musician, once having honed his/her skill, can improvise, create and play with great freedom, because he/she doesn’t need to focus on the technique any more. A strong framework of self-discipline attained by the actor enables great freedom of action and intuition.

Critique and feedback

“Approval/disapproval is keeping you from direct experience.” (Viola Spolin)

Students are encouraged to try things out in a safe, non-judgmental environment, where mistakes are seen as stepping stones within the learning process, and where freedom of action and thought are encouraged. They are also encouraged to actively observe and offer positive and constructive critique for themselves and others. It is very important students are encouraged students to see the class as a place where they can make mistakes! The classroom or studio is not a performance stage – they can try things, fail and learn from these mistakes and the mistakes of others they have observed. The tone is set by the tutor, who will not talk in terms of right and wrong, good and bad, but whether the tasks given were carried out. This is particularly important for teenagers, who, once they have begun to grasp that they are allowed to try things out and make mistakes, they gradually lose their inhibitions. This can happen with the most quiet and inhibited of types – but requires patience and continual encouragement by the teacher.