4-14-00
Wu-Tang Long-Form!
BY
JASON ROBERT CHIN
Currently, all the
cast members of the Second City mainstage are veterans of the ImprovOlympic
stage. Two are even founding members of the Annoyance Theatre. The current
production, Second City 4.0, was directed by Mick Napier–former member
of ImprovOlympic and creative director of the Annoyance Theatre. It is
not unusual that when a show opens at Second City, there is a party that
starts at the theatre which eventually migrates north, making a stop at
ImprovOlympic, then gliding over to the Gingerman Bar and finally settling
at the spacious haunts of the Annoyance Theatre. What is unusual is that
there was a time in Chicago’s improv history that such an event would
not have been possible. That there was deep seething animosity and conflict
brewing between the local improv factions, and crossing the lines to play
on another’s team was looked down upon. What existed was a great
divide between students of the different improv schools. It was perceived
that in order to be "loyal" to your school, you were to abide
by their prescribed methods, techniques and philosophies. Oftentimes,
this lead players to be "exclusive" to one theatre.
This state of tension, the improvisational "cold war," was born out of rivaling philosophies regarding the theory and practice of improvisation. What is it? How does one improvise successfully? What provides an audience with the best show? What fulfills a performer artistically? These were questions that, more or less, divided the burgeoning improv community for years.
Where did this philosophical debate begin? In part, Del Close’s departure from Second City was one of the many driving forces. For many celebrated years, Close was a performer and director at Second City. However, he came to believe that not only could improv be used in the creation of scripted shows as a performance piece, but also as an actual art form–hence the birth of long-form improv. It was this school of thought as well as his pharmaceutical passions, that lead to Close’s split with SC and spurred his joint venture with Charna Halpern to create a home for long-form improvisation, the ImprovOlympic.
A few years later–ironically enough–it was also a philosophical difference that lead to the creation of another improv institute. Following the same scenario, feeling stifled by the rules of "The Harold" at the ImprovOlympic, Mick Napier, Dave Razowski and others sought to create a place for wild, free-flowing improv–the Annoyance Theatre.
Ha! My Kung-Fu Is Better Than Yours!
In many aspects, improv can be likened to another treasured Chicago art form–the blues. Just as a Chicagoan must discern the difference between blues at The Green Mill and blues at Kingston Mines, so must they discover the difference between improv at Second City versus improv at the Annoyance Theatre. So who does what and where?
Annoyance Theatre develops scripted shows through improvisation and also presents two all-improvised shows (i.e. Screw Puppies). The Annoyance style of improvisation has been called all-out and no-holds barred.
The Free Associates offers "static," linear improvisation. They usually base their shows on another source (i.e. Tennessee Williams or the Greek tragedies) and each performer knows not only their characters, but the set sequence of events.
ComedySportz is a national franchise of comedy clubs. They specialize in short, comedic games usually based on numerous audience suggestions. Two teams, monitored by a whistle-wearing referee, are pitted against each other and are awarded points by audience reactions. This type of improv is the most similar to Drew Carey’s "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"
ImprovOlympic offers long-form improvisation, presented mostly in "The Harold" style. Performed by a team of performers, these long-form shows typically take just one suggestion from which a 30-45 minute show develops using interweaving scenes and games. ImprovOlympic is split into two theatres: the downstairs ("The Family Room") offers "The Harold" shows, while the upstairs ("The Del Close Theatre") provides a venue for more experimental long-form improv excursions.
Second City, which beget all of the above in some way, utilizes improvised scene work to create scripted material. Each Second City show has a "third act" where the cast (and guests sometimes) improvise games or long scenes. The trend in recent years has been moving away from games to long-form improv pieces in the improv set.
Hmm! Your Kung-Fu Is Pretty Good! But Now I Must Destroy You!
There are the purists who say that short-form improvisation is cheap and full of pre-conceived comedic routines or "bit-heavy," while short-form enthusiasts call long-form self-indulgent and boring. The third camp of sketch comedy (or scripted comedy) says that improv is just a means to an end. They are all correct.
Short-form improvisation is a guaranteed laugh generator. Audiences love improv games and even if a response in a game fails, it still succeeds because the audience is playing along. Everyone wins. Sold-out shows and a new, expanded theatre space for ComedySportz Chicago is just one piece of evidence that proves audiences enjoy and will pay to see short-form shows.
"I have had over 100 guests visit since I moved to Chicago last August," says Megan Grano, a student/performer at ImprovOlympic. "No one has ever 'gotten’ long-form Harold. Don’t get me wrong. They’ve all left saying they were 'entertained’ or that it was 'quite interesting,’ but the word 'funny’ never comes into play. 'Funny’ is a consistent word used by audiences to describe short-form or ComedySportz style. My conclusion, long-form is more fun for the improviser and short-form is more fun for the audience."
Long-form improvisation is designed for longer play involving more complex characters and acting. The risks are much greater, but if it works out well, the pay-off can be worth it. In short, audiences either adore long-form or detest it, and it always seems to leave a lasting impression.
As for the performers and what they prefer? "It’s much like the Beatles vs. Elvis dilemma. You can like the Beatles (long-form) and you can like Elvis (short-form), but you definitely dig one more than the other," says Rebecca Langguth, an ImprovOlympic alum and Playground performer. "Short-form–besides the obvious preparation difference–seems akin to stand up; the object being to set up the funny joke ASAP. Less about character and more about wits and bits. The allure of long-form is that you have time for discovery and development of characters and ideas. Mainly, the funny finds you rather than the other way round. Me? I’m a Beatles person."
Improv as a tool, and not a performance piece, is getting harder to espouse as more and more improv shows and theatres pop up.
"To this day, it still surprises me how little sketch comedy is produced in Chicago," says Matthew Filipowicz, a writer, director, and actor for the sketch comedy troupe O.C.Y.C. "Why is there so little sketch? Improv is just a lot easier to produce than sketch and the payoff is quicker. You go on stage, make shit up. Ba-da-boom! Sketch requires much more work and most people are generally lazy."
The bottom-line is that all three–short-form, long-form and sketch comedy–are all equally valid and good. It’s more difficult, especially nowadays, when students of one discipline mismatch skills or techniques with a different medium. A long-form performer must immediately drop his or her act and play the short-form game if they’re working out with short-form improvisers. A short-form performer must learn to listen and connect on a personal level in order to play in a long-form show. Bruce Lee achieved renowned fame by creating his own style of fighting called Jeet Kwon Do–a fast-moving melange of techniques and moves derived from his teachings in a variety of styles. So must the accomplished improviser learn to adapt and combine all the various skills, techniques and philosophies of improv.
"I improvise differently for whatever space I’m in. I feel different in each building," says Susan Messing who performs and teaches at Second City, the Annoyance Theatre and the ImprovOlympic. It is through this approach–the combining of different improvisational disciplines and philosophies–that creates a well rounded team, as well as a rounded individual player.
The evolution of improvisation has lead us from rehearsal exercises to comedic games to creative impetus, all the way to performance art. But the universal truth remains, without one form, the others would not exist.
Hmm! Your Kung-Fu Is Pretty Good! But Now I must Destroy You!
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