TJ & Dave – Improvisation at the speed of life – excerpt 1
Introduction
„Improvisation doesn’t mean we are unprepared. (…) The best way to prepare for improvisation is to experience life. And think: Think of everything. What do you think about this particular event? This particular point in history? This particular school in history? This particular school of thought? (…) Thought is part of the preparation.“ (David, xii)
Chapter 1
„[When a Harold improvisation happened seamlessly, effortlessly] we used to say: ‚Harold was here tonight.‘ (…) something other than us was at work.“ (David, 8)
„[The Chicago improvisers] were also some of the sweetest, most generous people you could meet, not only with their talent, but their time, their knowledge and their friendship.“ (TJ, 12)
Chapter 2
„TJ, the guy who has trouble with balance and vertigo (…) stood at the edge of a long fall. During the scene but sotto voce between us, I asked ‚What are you doing out here?‘ He (…) said: ‚This is where the scene is.'“ (David, 17)
„The structure of our show was being revealed, little by little, as we went along. These were not rules we came up with, nor are they rules we follow. They are just patterns we discovered as we worked together.“ (David, 21)
„Since our first show in 2002 (…) we simply agreed not to stop yet. We promised each other that the night we get it right: We quit.“ (TJ, 22)
Chapter 3
„An improviser needs to read and think. Our reactions and thoughts will be, must be colored by our thoughts.“ (David, 27)
„Salinger’s characters reveal so much about the characters, relationships and location without a great deal of backstory. (…) For instance, the characters speak the way only siblings would speak – therefore they must be siblings. The exposition is understood without having to be stated.“ (David, 27)