Author: Michael Yichao

When in doubt, say “I love you.”

This is true in marriages and improv scenes. (Well, really, I can only speak from experience on one of those two subjects, but still.)

It all comes down to the relationship.

Whenever I’m uncertain what to say or do next, I make eye contact with my partner and tell them as honestly as possible how I feel in the moment — about them, about our surroundings, about whatever’s been established so far.

The thing is, it doesn’t matter if you’re playing brother and sister fighting over your messy room, or a married couple on vacation, or monkeys stealing rifles from a safari expedition. (That last scene happens more often than you think.) Ultimately, it isn’t about the stuff and things that are happening, or the crazy antics you are doing — it’s about the relationship of the characters.

How you feel about each other. How you know each other. The interaction, the struggle, the connection between you and the other human being there with you. Believe it or not, that’s the secret and the difference between an okay moment and an amazing one.

Doesn’t matter the games you play. Doesn’t matter the length of the scene. People are interested in how people relate to other people. It’s what every great play in history is built on. It’s what every great improv scene is built on.

And it’s also what good relationships are built on.

Hm. Coincidence?