Author: Preston Smith
A lot of the time an improvisor will spend so much time trying to create funny moments in scenes. This generally ends badly, with a joke or some forced epitaph that is completely unrelated to what is happening in a scene.
Every time I teach a class of new students or an intro class, I always ask them if they can tell me the funniest moment of their life, I usually give them a few minutes to think about it (the suck ups always tell me it was this or that Jester’Z Show, which I appreciate but I know they are lying). Inevitably the funniest moments in an individual’s life is surrounded by friends and family when something just happens. Funny. Just. Happens.
Del Close and Keith Johnstone understood this principal.
“The best laughs are on the recognition of truth.” – Keith Johnstone
“The truth is funny. Honest discovery, observation, and reaction is better than contrived invention.” – Del Close
Stop worrying about being funny and just be in the moment, the funny will take care of itself.