-- Elaine Konopka
In this article, Caspar touches on various subjects, notably fear and the difficulty of accepting oneself.
It is loaded with lots of useful quotes:
TAB: While improvising, I’ve noticed that negativity comes more easily and spontaneously to many people (including myself) than acceptance and agreement. Any idea why that is?
CS: Yes. Fear.
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CS: When you’re afraid, the default response is to say no and to close down and become smaller, occupy less space, disappear….
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TAB: Yes! Absolutely. One of the main realizations I’ve had in your classes is how difficult it is to really see, hear, and respond to the person you’re “playing” with. We’re so busy with what we’re going to put out there that we cut off our awareness of what’s going on around us. I trace it back to fear: being afraid to not be funny, to not know what to say or do….
CS: Exactly. The great tragedy of improv is that most improvisers don’t understand that they are, in and of themselves, the fundamental “offer.” So people practice coming up with stuff and get very good at it. But as far as I can see, it’s futile. Most people can’t stand being on stage and being looked at for even five seconds without having to say or do something.
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TAB: So what do you teach about handling this fear?
CS: You have to first simply acknowledge it. Not be ashamed of it. It’s really about accepting yourself, your presence in the world. I am what I am and what I am is here. In front of you. Being in your body is the answer. Feeling yourself. That’s what we call stage presence, charisma.
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CS: The way people improvise reflects how they are in life, to a high degree. I don’t see a lot of patience in improv. It’s very rare. There are a couple of guys here in France who do a show called “SLOW.” They really take their time. It’s not that nobody else does it, but it’s rare.
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CS: An issue in improv is that people are too polite, too socialized if you will, and adapt too quickly to “society,” i.e. their fellow actors. Personally, I am getting better at making people meet me on my turf. But that sure as hell did not come from improv. That came from working with Ira.
