Art, by its very nature, tends to be process oriented. People, on the other hand, tend to be goal oriented. Can the two be synthesized into a cohesive, synergistic whole, a gestalt which satisfies both the performer and the audience?
Damn right they can.
Difficulties arise when striving for the goal overshadows the process of moving toward that goal. In a new millennium governed by pervasive technology, humans have been conditioned to believe that anything worth having should be within reach within seconds. We have become creatures of instant gratification, able to achieve a goal as easily as swiping right. What is being lost in the process is the capacity to take pleasure in the process, to savor the journey, to enjoy the ride.
Our waning ability to see process as an intrinsically valuable experience manifests itself in a number of ways in improvisational theatre.
One example is the Case of the Improviser Who Takes Control! When goal outweighs process, there will often arise an actor of strong personality who grabs the reins of a scene and drives it in the direction they deem necessary to reach what they perceive as the goal. Fellow actors will very often give tacit permission for this to happen, interpreting the situation as "They must know what they're doing," instead of "This person doesn't understand how improv works."
A second example is The Mysterious Widget Salesman! This is the performer who, when a quest arises during a scene ("We need this thing...") they will appear out of nowhere ringing the doorbell and providing what was needed, thus canceling out the quest and neutering the story.
"The process of
getting there
is where the
real enjoyment is."
Finally, people concerned with "getting it right" will tend to give up, especially in a guessing game. Instead of looking at the game as a journey toward the answer, they feel disappointment and personal anguish at not getting the correct answer right away. They throw their hands up, shake their head, and tell themselves and everyone else they can't do it. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy that will cheapen the game and annoy those actors who understand the process. The fun is in the journey to the answer; arriving at the answer simply means the game is over.
As artists we must understand that while a goal is necessary (it helps to know where you're going, or at least why), the process of getting there is where the real enjoyment is. Story lies in the journey, whether it's to reach Oz, to procure the Lost Ark, or to destroy Voldemort.
The audience doesn't always need to know the goal, but they must see the journey.
Happy improvising!
Happy improvising!
