improxploitation April 11, 2007
So my newly formed (and beloved) iO team had rehearsal last night. And we were given some advice: don’t knock girls around on stage. It may look fun, it may even seem fun, but the audience will turn on the guy who does it, and you will never get them back.
So our first reaction was: “No way! That couldn’t be true! It’s so FUN!” But, inclined to believe a rather experienced improv coach, I guess I have to accept that this is true.
However, it contradicts some advice given to me by another very seasoned improv coach (this one, not incidentally), a woman, which is this (paraphrase): “Stop trying to prove that you’re a strong woman; everyone loves to watch people get victimized on stage!”
So which is true? Is there a way to convey to the audience that you are the master of your own victimization, therefore avoiding creating an aggressor? I was recently in a scene where I was acting victimized, and the guy just kept being very nice and reasonable, and I continuted to act victimized. He stayed clean, and we got laughs, so maybe…
first of all, we’v already been through this so many times: Girls aren’t funny. So obviously the male improv coach was correct by default.
Alternatively, they’re both right. The two statement apply to different people. The first guy (the guy) was telling the MEN not to victimize the women on stage or they’ll never win the audience back. The second dude (the dudetee) was telling the WOMEN not to fight against their victimization on stage. See the difference? Actually, when both pieces of advice are applied at the same time, I can imagine the tension getting pretty funny- the guy trying desperately NOT to be abusive and the weak weak women getting abused nonetheless.
So, basically, you’re agreeing with my last comment? Thanks for wasting my blog…