Treating your audience like they're tourists
It's always good to be reminded that not everyone has the same frame of reference as you
Recently, I was in Finland for a few days. It was a lovely getaway and a nice change of pace from the first two months of the year, let alone getting away from the seemingly constant rain that we endured.
During my time there, I did a few touristy things, like dog sledging and cross-country skiing, which were really enjoyable.
What I did take away from those experiences was how streamlined everything was for us, the participants. You get your background behind the activity, a run-through of how to operate a sleigh or ski, and then you do the activity itself.
Most of the work has been done by the organisers, so really all I had to worry about were specific elements. For sleighing, it was things like knowing when to break, or being aware of the signals.
The presentation is key here as it’s all about putting people at ease. Even if logically you know it’s going to be plain sailing, there is that gap of knowledge between what you believe is going to happen and what the reality is. Clarity is always welcome, as it ensures a shared language and approach for everyone.
(Also, it’s not great for a tourist experience to have people confused or overwhelmed).
It’s a reminder that getting everyone on the same page is key, as few come in with the necessary knowledge, or it may differ from how you do it - one staff member mentioned how there are different approaches to riding a sleigh. There’s no one correct way to do so, which is true of many things in life.
Clarity is key in improv, and whatever you’re doing, you want to make sure everyone is clear about what they’re experiencing. If you’re performing to an audience, you need to make it clear what they’re watching - whether it’s the start of a show or in a scene - if they know what’s happening, they can relax into the show and be more receptive.
Even if it’s clunky, you’re doing everyone a huge favour when you swiftly fill everyone in on what happening, whether that’s the premise, relationship or just how your character feels.
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Quinton, I completely agree. When I MC showcases, I make a point of explaining the formats up front, because the audience are usually friends and family who are seeing improv for the first time. It’s also why I’m not a huge fan of formats like the Harold or the Deconstruction - they’re hard enough for improvisors to follow, never mind newcomers.
In other countries, like France, you see plenty of non‑improvisors at shows, and the structures are clear enough that everyone can enjoy them. I’d love to see us move more in that direction and build shows that genuinely welcome a wider audience.