Lisa Fredrickson — Liminal Explorer
By Lisa Fredrickson
It has been a great thrill to be a part of our new Artistic Leadership team, aka Janice. We have been exploring the idea of ‘liminal space’ and I have really been vibing on how it is a useful concept in improv.
I am defining ‘liminal space’ as the threshold moment between the past and the possibility. On stage it is where you can see all of the offers that have been made, while also allowing yourself to glimpse the tapestry that they might become. You are a liminal explorer, but the treasure is not at your destination — the treasure is in the spaces in between. You are standing in the treasure of the liminal space right now. And right now… And right now. It is the current moment. And in the current of the moment.
In improv, we often say “Trust the moment”, and that trust will free-fall you to the liminal place. (Think of Tom Petty when you get in your head.) In the free-fall, you are letting the things that have been launched land and you have no need to plan or ‘pre-prov’, as my college students say. Nothing clever that you can come up with will ever be more captivating to an audience than watching you be present in these moments. It is what Patsy Rodenburg would call “Second Circle.” By being present in the moment, you are bringing the audience in and connecting with them instead of simply showing them your ‘bag of tricks’. Connecting with the audience is what the advanced improvisor dares to do!
Legacy member and teacher extraordinaire, Stephen Kearin, will often say to us, “Want what you have!” I think that happens here, at this threshold, where you’re surveying the tapestry you’ve made and the tapestry that is yet to be. It’s all about the inventory. In your head, it might sound like, “What do I have? Let’s see, I’m the neighbor who has been missing, Nick is nervously plumping pillows, Jen seems to be in love with me and Kelly just called me Mother. Ok, this is gonna be fun…” You are assessing, naming, and culling the info that has already appeared, weaving the threads together — nothing needs to be invented! There is already enough; you are enough; this plot is enough!
If you can continuously let things land and let your mind deal with this inventory — you will appear human. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted? Humans don’t always know what to say. That’s why people come to the show — to see themselves. Situations in which humans make real human choices. Your humanity is enough! If you are brave enough to trust this liminal place, those choices will FLOAT YOUR WAY AND BYPASS YOUR THINKING MACHINE! The more you do it, the more you will become addicted to it and people will become addicted to you. Everyone will want to play with you and you will be rich with liminal treasures!
No one said it would be easy. It takes courage, vulnerability and self-awareness to be a ‘liminal explorer’, but in the attempt, humanity will not only be reflected but, dare I say, enriched.
