*preroll music*
Gregor Ruttner: Hello everybody, I'm really excited to be here today
as this is not only my first congress as a speaker but also a visitor
so I'm really stunned by what I've seen in the last couple of days
So, I will talk about the art of failure taught by improv theatre
and before I do that I will talk about theate in general
First, you heard a bit about my profession
I work as a youth theatre leader,
so everyday I meet young people from the age of 5 to 20, young adult,
and together we create a piece of theatre
And when you work with young people in the field of youth theatre
you borrow loads of methods of the improv theatre
and improv theatre give you a very special mindset
about how to fuse certain things in life
and about how to handle mistakes.
But as I said first, what is theatre?
So, theatre is, of course, like this.
So, it's loads of impressions, loads of expressions, loads of emotion,
it's very dramatic.
This is also where the word dramatic comes from: drama, theatre.
But when you look behind the curtain, theatre is sometimes like this:
So, you come to rehearsal, best prepared, and you're full of energy
and you want to give your best
and then there're all the others in the rehearsal and you think like:
why are they not here, 100%? Where is the energy?
Why didn't they learn the text? And, am I the only one in here, who wants to work seriously?
What I can tell you is that the others in your theatre group think the same, and also
about you
So, this is something in theatre that sometimes, or most of the times, is because of this:
So, theatre is loads about text and memorizing lines
and I can talk about myself when I have acting jobs
So, it's quite easy to remember the lines at home
when you're on your own and all all alone
and you know when to stop and then you know that another person will say something
but you don't remember what the person will say
So, you don't know where to start again and then your partner thinks, like,
he's not prepared. Like I'm waiting for you, where is your line?
So, you gonna have a bad time.
And theatre is about collaboration, about cooperation
about doing something together
and this is very important and we will come back to that in a few minutes again.
But first the last picture, because this is like the most important rule in theatre,
don't ever argue with the director.
Directors are... let's say, very special kind of people
They have a certain idea of what it should look like on stage in their head
and they want you to put that on the stage
and of course you're not inside the head of the director
so you cannot ever succeed.
So, if the director says, you have to stand there, just stand there.
And don't say: but here I think it would be better.
Just don't do it.
But, this is a very strict image of theatre and this is of course traditional theatre
So, in the 20th century people came up with the idea of improv theatre.
And this cannot happen to you when you do improv theatre
So you cannot forget your lines, because improv theatre is about doing something spontaneously,
create something great out of something that hasn't been there a few seconds ago.
And, Improvtheatre is trained and not rehearsed
so, you call it an improv training and not an improv rehearsal
because you have some games that you get to know and then you train them with your partners
and later you will present them on the stage.
And, to giv you a short example of improv theatre, I will play a video of an improv group
and they will play a game called "I am a tree"
and the game is called "I am a tree", because at the start the person enters the stage and says:
I'm a tree, and becomes the tree with the whole body
and then a second person enters the stage immediately after that
so with the first thought he or she has, and says for example:
I'm an apple, becomes the apple
and then a third person enters the stage with, like, I'm a worm.
So we have tree, apple, worm. And then the tree person chooses one other person and says,
I take it.
So for example, says: I take the worm.
And then the tree and the worm leave the stage and the apple is all alone on the stage
and again repeats it: I'm an apple.
And then some people in the improv group, when they think of apple they don't think
of the fruit, but of the computer company
so they say, like, I'm an iPhone, and make themselves very thin
and then a third person comes and says, I'm a bad battery life,
and is dying
Thank you for that (*laughs*)
Okay, but now let's have a look onto the video.
*Applause*
- Hi everybody, where gonna do some improv for you
it's completely unscripted created on the spot,
never to be seen again and never seen before.
- I am a tree makes dinging sound
Audience: *Laughter*
- I'm a tree! - I'm a butterfly
- I'm a tyre swing
- I'll take the tyre swing!
- I'm a butterfly - I'm a branch
- I'm a falling leaf - I'll take the falling leaf
- I'm a branch - I'm a banker
- I'm a bowl of mints
- I'll take the banker! - I'm a bowl of mints
- I'm a mint spoon - I'm an awkward silence
- I'll take the mint spoon
- I'm an awkward silence - I'm a boyfriend
- I'm a racoon
- I'll take the racoon
- I'm a boyfriend - I'm a girlfriend
- I'm an engagement ring on the floor
- (laughs) I'll take the engagement ring
- I'm a girlfriend - I'm a little extra pounded
- I'm a tote bag - I'll take the tote bag
- I'm a little extra pounded - I'm a Nascar fan
Laughter
- I'm arthritis - I take the Nascar fan
- I'm arthritis - I'm an aspirin
- I'm a person with a mouth
- I'll take the aspirin - I'm a person with a mouth
- I'm a person with an ear - I'm a person with neither of these things
- I take the person with the ear
- I'm a person with neiter of these things - I am a giant bag of money
- I'm a burglar
- I take the bag of money - I'm a burglar
- I'm an open window - I'm a priceless antiquity
- I take the priceleyy antiquity - I'm an open window
- I'm an escaping teen - I'm a curtain blowing in the wind
- I take the curtain - I'm an escaping teen
- I'm a tree *Laughter*
*Cheering*
*Applause*
Ruttner: So we see the game ends where there's the tree again
so shouldn't last for more than 3 minutes as we've seen here
but, why this also is a good example is, because we've seen at some points
that 2 or even more people wanted to enter the stage at the same time
but they managed that just one person did.
And this is very important, as I said.
Theatre is about collaboration, about team work
so, this is what you train in improv training.
At this point of the talk there will be a quote, so there it is.
It's a quote from Keith Johnston
Keith Johnstone is like the godfather of improv theatre
He created the format of theatre sports
which is when 2 improv theatre groups come together
and play some special kinds of games against each other
and then the audience decides which group did a better job and then the winner wins a small price
And he also invented most of the games that are played in todays improve scene
For eample this "I am a Tree" game
So, and he says: "Good improvisors seem telepathic;
everything looks pre-arranged,
this is because they accept all offers made --
which is something no 'normal' person would do."
So, and this is like the basic idea of improv theatre:
take every change you get, take all offers made.
Now we see another short video
This is a Google Tech Talk where Tina Fey was invited by Eric Schmidt
who was at that time the CEO of Google, now is the CEO of Alphabet, you know the stories
and he talks with Tina Fey, she's a very famous American actress, writer, director and comedian
I'm sure most of you know her
And she explains in a very good way the basic rules of improv
So let's have a look!
Eric Schmidt: It has a lot of lessons in it. So for example,
Stop! I've got a gun!
Tina Fey: The gun, the gun I gave you for our wedding anniversary, Eric?
How could you?
Schmidt: We're not married! Fey: Aha! We're not married is a denial,
we've learned our first improv lesson
*Laughter*
Fey: It's very hard, it takes a long time to learn
Schmidt: This is the problem with an engineer trying to learn
Fey: *laughs*
Fey: It takes a long time to learn those basic rules of improv
Schmidt: So why don't you take us through them, they're in the book
Fey: Sure, they're in the book, cause I have visited improviser at Second City, and a place
called Improv Olympic in Chicago
and I talk in the book about improv having really kind of changed my professional life
and even sort of my world view a bit
There're some basic rules of improvisation when you're creating something out of nothing
The first rule is to agree, which is to say yes
which we didn't do that successfully
You said the phrase, I have a gun. And I didn't say: That's not a gun, that's your finger
*Laughter*
Schmidt: Which is what a Google person would say
Fey: Yeah, well I don't know *Laughter*
Fey: And we agreed. And next rule is: Yes, and...
Which is to add-on to what you have already agreed upon
So: The gun, the gun I gave you for our wedding anniversary?
How could you?
And then we hit a brick wall, Eric
*Laughter*
But it's a very, you know... it's funny, because some very famous comedians have...
there is an old story about Joan Rivers was a The Second City briefly in 1959 ... 1960
and they used this in class at Second City all the time
that there was someone came in. you know
"I want a divorce" was the beginning of the scene
She said: I want a divorce. And whoever was with her would say: But what about the children?
And she said: We don't have any children
Which in the moment got a big laugh
Schmidt: Which stops it. Fey: but killed the scene.
And so that's a... It's a very... Schmidt: My response would be...
Fey: Human Instinct Schmidt: Yes, we have children, I just didn't tell you
that's why we're getting divorced Fey: Yes, yes!
Fey: I have some other children... Schmidt: Yes
Fey: This is exactly what, yeah
Ruttner: So at least Eric Schmidt learned very fast
Okay, let's have a look onto the 4 rules she said
So, the first one is to agree, to say yes
So, when I say, for example: Look what I've got here, it's the brand new iPhone 7
It has an astonishing battery life. It finally lasts for a whole day
then please don't say: That's never possible, that must be a Samsung Galaxy
Don't say that, just say: Oh cool
And then add something, this is the 2nd rule
Not only say "yes", say "yes, and...".
So, for example: Oh cool, but I see you had to buy now this
fancy apple leather backpack to carry it with you
because now it is four times thicker than before and it just cost, what did you say,
a 1000 Euros?
- Yes, now I can spend 2000 Euros for my phone, isn't this amazing?
So, something like this.
The 3rd rule is: Make statements, so give something to play with
Don't say: Look what I've got here!
Then this person can just say: Wow. What is it.
*Laughter*
And number 4 is: There are no mistakes, only opportunities,
which brings us back to the topic of this talk
So, when I say, look what I've got here, brand new iPhone 7, astonishing battery life...
don't say, no, that must be a Samsung Galaxy, as I just said.
But the person did. So what to do now?
Then, you can help, you see there was a mistake, take it as an opportunity and say:
Oh, they are really good now at copying Apple's design, even put an apple on the backside.
Something like this.
So, these are the four rules of improv by Tine Fey and the last one, there are no mistakes,
only opportunities
So, what does that say to us?
Has it something to do with this very infamous quote, "It's not a bug, it's a feature"?
Well, let's see
Important thing is to take every chance you get, this is important
So, when you play improv theatre with another person, then really take every chance you get
So, I give the person loads of stuff, like it's the iPhone 7, it's brand new,
astonishing battery life and so on
So this person has many choices to play with now
Second, if something goes wrong, try to make the best out of it, without pretend that it
didn't happen at all
So, everybody would figure out that he made a mistake when he said, no, this must be a
samsung galaxy, oh, ah, I mean... yeah, nice iPhone
So, this is bad he wanted to pretend that it didn't happen
So when we look onto it's not a bug, it's a feature, we could rather say, like,
Yeah, it's a bug, and we even implemented 10 bugs and the person who finds all 10 of
them gets a very fancy price
So, something like this would be out of the mind of improv theatre
And, the last point, most of the times there is somebody to support you
I say most of the times, in improv theatre always there is someone to support you
In life, yeah we know there are situations where there isn't somebody to support you
But, if we have a closer look, in many situations there would be somebody.
So in improv theatre, that means, like, when I say: no, this is a Samsung Galaxy
And then this person stays, like, oh, what to do now?
Then, a third person could enter the stage of the improv group and says, like,
I'm a very fancy patent lawyer, I know all the stuff about Samsung and Apple, so let
me have a look
So then it would be 3 people and at that time the other 2 could think about it
Now we have a look onto Del Close's 11 Commandments
So he has not 4 rules, but 11
Del Close was a very famous and very popular coach on improv for actors and for comedians
And he had these 11 commandments
So let us have a look onto number 1, it's:
"You are all supporting actors"
Again, theatre is about collaboration, it's team work based
So, when you work in a team don't try to be the best in the team, because then you are
not a team, then you are against each other
So, when you work in a team, do it a a team, you are all supporting actors, this is number 1
Number 2: Always check your impulses
So, when you want to take every chance you get, you have to look out for them, so, where
could be a chance to get?
So be aware all the time.
Number 3: Never enter a scene unless you are needed.
This is very important, especially for example for me, when I work with young people every day
So, of course there will be some situations where we think:
Yeah, the young people won't manage to do it,
I have to step in now and help them, but most of the times that's not necessary
and as we heard, at Jugend Hackt today, like, of course they do mistakes, but they learn
somethings of the mistakes
So, really, just enter the scene when you are needed
and not few seconds before
And this is very hard to manage and you have to train that also
because when you're doing improv theatre you always want to be on the stage of course
so, be sure to just enter the stage when you're needed
Number 4: Save your fellow actor, don't worry about the piece
This is also important, when you work in a team, and somebody needs help,
or struggles a bit around
like this no, this must be Samsung Galaxy, don't think, oh, you have ruined the scene,
what can we do now?
Just do something to help your partner and the piece will be good again
Number 5: Your prime responsibility is to support
As we just heard, so you all work in a team
so don't play against each other, play together
support each other and then the outcome will be much more nicer
Number 6: Work at the top of your brains at all times
This is the important thing, act out your first thought
So when we look back on this I am a Tree thing, like, the person first enters the stage
I am a Tree
and the other is like, hm, tree, this could be in a forest,
this could be garden
oh, it's christmas at the moment, I could do something about christmas trees...
The audience doesn't get your thoughts, they just see what you do
So, in reality nothing would happen in this 10 seconds while the person thinks
So when your first thought is tree, forest, then do something in a forest and don't think
too much about it
Number 7: Never underestimate or condescend to your audience
So, when you have an idea, just do it
you can think later, when the piece is over,
did the audience get what I wanted to tell them
Because of course at least one person will get
what you want to show and most of the times everybody got it
Number 8: No jokes unless it is tipped in front that it is a joke
So, if you want to be funny, it's always good not to try to be funny
So, the most funniest situations on the stage come out
when you don't prepare a joke and want to do something
just act in the moment and then
the most funniest situations will come up
and of course when you enter the stage: "Do you want to hear a joke?"
and the other person says yes,
then don't say, no, I'm not allowed,
but then tell your damn joke but then continue the scene
Number 9: Trust is very important
Trust your fellow actors to support you, trust them to come through
if you lay something heavy on them
and trust yourself is also important
To be able to trust my partners I have to trust myself at the very beginning
then we can trust each other as a group and we can rely on each other
So, again, team work.
When we do something as a team,
everybody in the team has to be sure that what will come out
will come out in a very good way because we're a very good team
and this is why we are a team, because we help each other and support each other
Number 10: Avoid judging what is going down
This is very important. Don't be on the stage and think all the time,
no, he broke one of these rules this is very bad
Just do something, because when you start looking for mistakes, you will find them
and this is something I'm sure everybody of you have seen that in your own life
when you start to look for mistakes you will find them
So in improv theatre this is the rule, don't look for mistakes, then you won't find any
because every mistake is an opportunity, don't look for mistakes, but for opportunities
And the last commandment is: Listen
So again, when you work in a team, you have to listen to each other
It's like spot every chance you get, listen to each other
when I do something, the other has to know about that.
Whichs brings us to a second quote:
Again, one of Keith Johnstone's quotes
"There are people you prefer to say 'yes' and there are people who prefer to say 'no'.
Those you say 'yes' are rewarded by the adventures they have.
Those who say 'no' are rewarded by the safety they attain."
And this brings us to the motto of this congress, Gated Communities.
Of course you can stay in your community and maybe, or for sure,
this is very comfortable and nothing will happen to you
and you are protected in your community
but you will miss so many things that are out there
when you step out of your community
So, say Yes and then you get new adventures
So, this is what I want to end with because this is also the motto of this congress,
break the borders, break the rules, stay hungry
Thank you very much
*Applause*
Herald: Thanks very much for the talk
So if you have any questions, please line up at the microphones
and we will get you answers to that
No questions from the internet...
Oh there is a questions over there at mic number 7
Q: Do you practice your talk or do you improvise?
Ruttner: Very good question, I'm sure you heard it, I'm not a native english speaker
so I said in the beginning when we had a quick chat before, like, when I would have done
the talk in German I would have improvised
As it is in English, I improvised it once, tried to remember it, this was 3 days ago,
at home
and then yesterday and today I repeated it again
so, like again, not a rehearsal, I didn't have notes or anything, I just tried to repeat
it and to train it
so, yeah, kind of
Engel: Okay, mic number 2
Q: I once had an improv course and I definitely want to do it again
especially after just seeing your talk, so thanks for the opportunity
Ruttner: Thank you
Q: What I wondered about, I have another friend at another conference or so,
and he also did improv theatre and during the conference they actually just played with
each other a bit
Do you know about these real life, like... you know there is the improv theatre thing,
where you just are in some room
and you meet for the games and all that stuff
but the interaction like in reality
like even up to a game where you go like, okay let's go to the hotel and try to get
a booked room, or something, you know?
Ruttner: Yeah, this is more like a training for improv, it is like one of those shows
so it is a very good training of course, let's try something out in the real world
so, this is called the hidden theatre
This could be improvised, because you don't know what will happen when you are in a public space
what will the other people say, when you don't tell them the hidden theatre
so of course you have to train improv for that
but this genre is called hidden theatre
Q: But it is also part of the improve theme, basically
Ruttner: Yeah, you can train improv by doing it
Q: Okay, thanks
Ruttner: You're welcome
Engel: Next question from mic number 1 please
Q: I don't know anything about improv until now
but I'm very excited about that I am a Tree game, and want to play it later
can you also maybe recommend another improv game for noobs?
Ruttner: Yeah, I can definitely send you some written down, so we can meet afterwards
I also wrote into the talk describtion that there will be a workshop
this was very optimistic because I wanted to do the talk first and then want to know
who would be interested in a workshop
so, if you find me after this talk and we are more than 3 people who say I want to do the workshop
we can do something together tomorrow
*Applause*
Ruttner: (*laughing*) More than 3 but not more than 20 please
Engel: Okay, so thanks very much for attending the talk
Thanks very much for giving the talk
If you have any more questions to Gregor, please find him in the foyer in front of the
Hall 2. Thank you
*postroll music*
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