We’re very proud to present you with a rare opportunity! The Parisian Gentlemen of Paris (from Paris, obviously) are in town early for Out of Bounds.
While they’re here, we thought that they should share their knowledge, offer their unique perspective on improv, and earn some money for their trip.
After extensive polling, The Gentlemen have decided to teach the following:
What is the scene about? Improv for analytical people
As improvisers, we often hear that we should not “get into our heads”. Spontaneity does great until… until it doesn’t and we’re back in our heads.
This is a great time to switch to analytical mode, and figure out quickly what you need to do next. A lot of us are analytical people, and we use our brains in most of our daily lives to analyze situations and make rational decisions. Also, as teachers, we have observed that many improvisers come from a scientific background.
If you’re on the backline, teaching a workshop, directing the scene, or in the scene and you’re in you head, why not exploit this raw power to make our scenes better?
This workshop aims at tapping into the power of your rational brain to make your scenes more focused and more “tight”. We will do scenes and consult regularly with each other to see how asking the right questions can help you make the most interesting scenic choices.
Here are some questions we will ask: “Who is the hero of the scene?”, “What does the scene need?”, “What does the audience want?” and “What is the scene about?”
About the Group
THE PARISIAN GENTLEMEN OF PARIS (Ian, Ouardane, Tim) is a team of veteran parisian improvisers created for the purpose of showcasing french improv internationally. With more than 40 years of combined experience on stage, they are renowned for their “generous and patient” style of improvisational theatre, their charm and their stage presence. Grounded in a heritage of classic and contemporary french theatre, Québec-style improv (“Le Match d’Impro”) and influences from Keith Johnstone and american longform, the trio has hundreds of hours of teaching experience in France and abroad. As teachers, they aim to create challenging and safe workshop environments for students to learn, experiment and grow.