All this month, Avocado Improv are taking the reigns of writing for us to allow us to explore more about the team. To start things off, they are revisiting a strand that we used to run on the website called How Improv Changed Their Lives. A feature where improvisers talk about how they got into improv and how it has changed their life.

It’s hard to really know how improv changed our lives, because it’s just always been there. If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you know exactly what we mean. Some people grow up and watch a building being built, and they just know, I’m gonna build one of those one day. They see ballet and they know, they’re gonna be the next Baryshnikov. We both saw ‘Who’s Line’ and we knew, we’re gonna make up shit for the rest of our lives, and we’re gonna do it on stage for barely any money.

Looking back on it, there’s certainly a million things that improv has brought into our lives, through teachers, performing, or just being part of an audience. For both of us, it’s pretty much the same. We both started out running around, looking for the best idea as quick as possible, high on the adrenaline of performing… and scared shitless. Over time, we’ve learned to slow down and enjoy the moment, the silence, and really take time to see what the other person is bringing to the table. As it happens, that’s what good collaboration looks like; sharing ideas, being open, taking your time and appreciating the process.

Then there are the teachers.

Mark Beltzman taught us to ‘bring our own s*** on stage’. In essence, don’t make s*** up when you have plenty of life to use. Use all of your experience, your relationship with the partners you play with, your honest opinions and perspectives, and you’ll never want for material again. Whether that’s on stage, on the page, or throwing around ideas, all the best stuff comes from real life.

Dave Razowsky taught us ‘the process of improvisation is the process of improvisation.’ The show is the show, there’ll be nothing before and nothing after, it’s all about ‘doing it’. The artform is creating, and really, isn’t that the best part of doing anything? Making movies, writing scripts, designing, you name it, the most fun part is doing it, that’s what we live for. Embrace the process, don’t rush.

When you put it all together, what improv has really done is remind us to be honest. Try hard behind the scenes, push the work out there and put the effort in, but when it comes to being creative, you can’t force good ideas. The best stuff comes when you’re open to what’s around you. It’s like the old saying goes, ‘the scene is already there, you just have to reveal it.’

To find out more about the team head to www.avocadoimprov.com

Upcoming shows by the team:

– Sep 13, Omnibus Theatre, 9pm

– Oct 5, Barons Court Theatre, 9:30pm

– Oct 11, Omnibus Theatre, 9pm

– Oct 25, Barons Court Theatre, 9:30pm