Improv is an artform in which we make up the world around us and many times when we are coached we are told to take truth from your own life to create the scenes and world around us – this is particularly the case with long form as you have more time to create and paint an in depth world. However, sometimes, we need to take a step back, look at the world around us and take a truth from that as well.

Lets do an example – the other day when I was in the hairdressers, just talking as you do about life, general etc and we got onto the struggles about when you first train and are trying to do everything you can to please the client. The nerves, the hardwork and everything else in between – the sort of thing you never really think about.

Whenever you create a character from a profession, we always go to the normal generic ideas of what a person in that profession we expect should be like – we don’t think outside the box. I think taking the time to get to know the person behind the profession can be really helpful to create a new and exciting persona on stage.

I know a few people who are writers and they spend their time people watching to look at quirks and behaviors that people have in everyday life and take the time to actually write them down.

The next time that you are in a coffee shop, take time to look at your barista, listen to what they say, how they communicate with friends and customers, how the look when they are making coffee, how they wear their uniform  – delve into these qualities and think about them the next time you create a character and you may produce something new and unique.