Brene Brown who had a massive hit on Ted on YouTube with
over 4 million hits!!! talking about her ‘breakdown’ or ‘spiritual awakening’,
depending on how you look at it, said in a later Ted broadcast, that she
realised that to sum it all up, she would say that it all boils down to one
word. Connection.
CONNECTION
In other words that for her, the primary truth in life we
need to get our heads around is the way that we relate, RELATE, to others.
& with 4 thousand hits there may be some truth in this.
But how could this ‘relate’ to improvisation? Well, what
we must do is use the Toltec technique of ‘shifting the focus’ on
improvisation, to try and see improvisation differently; not just as a way to
become ‘famous’ by being a better performer, actor, by being funnier and cooler
etc. but as a tool to help us work with our own self-awareness, particularly in
that area of relating to others. For ‘Impro’, if it is to work, is all about
relating to the other performers, and not about you alone, YOU ALONE, as a
brilliant actor!!! And not even about being a ‘good’ actor. In fact Impro is
about ‘being’ and not acting, when it’s working. In other words it is a micrcosm of the macrocosm. The way we relate to the group of performers
we are working with relates directly to the way we relate to the world, in
society, and to those around us.
To work with our own self-awareness though, we must find
ways of showing to ourselves our own failings and short-comings, which in
truth, for the average person, are not really self evident. For example, are we
stubborn? When we are told that in every Impro scene we must, until at least we
are much much much more experienced improvisers, as a basic guideline to begin
with say ‘yes’ to every offer that is made to us. Do we then stubbornly resist
by finding a way to say no????? Or, are we for example ‘in denial’. If someone
rushes in saying the house is burning down do we say, “actually this is a computer generated flame effect, to put off
would be burglars!” Very clever but in
fact a denial. Or, do we lack trust? If
someone says “come with me into this dark basement”, do we say, “well, perhaps
not today. Maybe some other time.” Do
we have issues about certain environments or being in certain situations???
Does this bring up memories or emotions that prevent us from playing the scene
and thus prevent us from relating to others??? Do we have issues about playing
sexual scenes, love scenes, scenes involving movement of some kind like dancing?????
Do we have an issue listening to others? Do we tend to talk over people? Do we
have issues with language??? Do we place too much importance on it?? Do we
think Impro is about being good with language???
All
in all, Impro is a ‘safe’ laboratory to explore these things and learn about
ourselves, if we can ‘shift the focus’. Now, the usual response to this will be
that it is all too simple. Surely something so momentous cannot be so simple??
Surely Shirley???? Well the simple truth here is that we live in a world that
specialises in complicating things. Where complexity is valued for its own
sake. Where people say, “I can’t do that, I’m too complicated.” Where the simple is devalued and frowned
upon. Where to succeed you must be sophisticated and complex. Look at corporate
finance. But, as it says in the Toltec Teachings, that a warrior aims for
simplicity, as it cuts out all unnecessary thoughts and feelings. In other
words it helps to help us ‘see’ what is really taking place in our lives. It is
the first stepping stone towards
‘clarity’. But, obviously, it is a bit of a ‘zen’ thing, knowing the importance
of simplicity. You cannot explain it to people. They have to arrive there for
themselves.
It
is also true that there is a big ‘Taboo’ on thinking differently about
culturally established things. It feels wrong. It feels dirty, to think of
Impro in this way. Strange as that must sound. It is a kind of blasphemy. Our
brains, ours souls, our hearts just won’t go there. We fear that unknown quantity
inherent in it. Fear. A warrior’s first enemy.
If
we do find this happening to ourselves we must ask ourselves, “ Am I being
caught up in the ‘herd’ mentality? Am I really thinking for myself??? What is
more important??? My image as a ‘cool’ improviser, or my self awareness which
can help me to grow spiritually???????
In
conclusion then, I will say that I can categorically state, as I know from my
own experience, and not from a book I read, that we can get much better at
relating. It can be done. And this was Brenee Brown’s big moment of realisation. She suddenly ‘knew’. It can be
done. It should be done. It is humanity’s way forward. If you accept this then
after that all that remains is ‘how’????
What tools exist to aid us in this?? What if any???. Well. I am naming
one. There are of course others. I shan’t go into those here. The alert student
can probably guess a few. They do exist. Impro though is probably the easiest
tool to get your hands on. The most available. And that is a marvellous thing!!!
There is hope!!! And long as we can say, “YES! The house is burning down!!!”
