The First Rule of Improv is “Yes and…”
The “yes” part, the “and” part, and playing with blocks
Thousands of years ago, before SNL or Groundlings or even Second City, the great commandment of improv was handed down from on high. When Moses reached the top of Mount Sinai and held up that stone tablet, it simply said: Thou shalt YES AND.
Ever since, teachers and coaches have been reminding players that this phrase is the bedrock of improvised comedy. Read on to find out how simply agreeing and adding to what your partner has done empowers you both to create coherent, fun, and funny scenes.
The “Yes” Part
Whatever your fellow improviser says or does, it is your job to say “yes.” That doesn’t mean you have to say the word “yes,” just that you should accept what they have established as being true. It’s a spirit-of-the-law kind of thing.
This means that if your scene partner calls you Susie, then your name is Susie. If someone says you’re on a rocket ship, then you’re on a rocket ship. If someone says you’re juggling flaming bowling pins at a Beatles concert, then you are juggling flaming bowling pins at a Beatles concert.
