The Backline - An Improv Podcast

Rob's friend Steph "accidentally" signed up for the improv competition TKO.  In this episode, we chat about what it feels like to step onstage for the first time in front of an audience.

Any time you receive a note on Listening, it's not a comment about your inability to absorb information from your partner but rather a criticism on your reaction to partner's offer.  If you learn how to be present with your partner, you won't have to worry about if you're listening or not.  Also discussed the Backline on Tour, bottled water, and Star Wars.

An improv exercise is only as good as the conversation afterwards.  This week, Rob and Adam discuss how to debrief exercises and scenes for maximum effectiveness.  Also hear updates about the Backline on Tour in Montreal, and discover trivia about the capital of Quebec!   Special thanks to Finest City Improv and their article on Debriefing exercises.  It can be found here:  http://www.finestcityim...

Expectations, anxiety, and responsibility are all factors that contribute to feeling pressure onstage.  This week, Rob and Adam discuss why pressure happens and some tricks they use to letting go before stepping onstage or into an audition room.  Also Montreal bars, white freezies, and Tahiti Treat.

This week Rob and Adam discuss what happens when one teammate isn't making progress in shows or rehearsals.  Is your improv troupe a business arrangement or a family?  When is it time to cut someone from an improv team?  What's the best way to break-up with a teammate?  Also: Toronto island, upside down world and the return of One Cool Thing.

From Mick Napier's book Improvise, Rob and Adam discuss the concept of Push/Pull and what it means to their own practices.  Also talked about is Verse/Chorus and Dynamic/Waste, two adaptions to explain their relationship with taking a break from the dominant energy of the scene.  Enjoy!

You only have two hours to rehearse your 8 person Harold team.  It's easy to waste that time and get nothing done.  This week Rob and Adam make it even easier, by listing 10 simple things you can do to not accomplish anything in rehearsals.  Also, a big thank you to those who have shared, retweeted, and reviewed the podcast for our pledge drive to reach 100,000 listeners.  

Eventually, you're going to get rusty.  Whether that's from taking a break from doing shows.  Or simply outgrowing the teachers in your town or city.  This week, Rob and Adam take you through some simple techniques that can help you improve your game, even when you feel isolated.  Stay sharp out there!

Adam and Rob discuss calling out offers in an improv scene.  What's the difference between "Hanging a Lantern" on a mistake and undermining the reality of the scene? What should you do with waning accents, inconsistent object work, or calling a character by the wrong name.

This week Rob and Adam demystify physicality in improv and offer a series of suggestions for you to try onstage tonight.  From characters to object work to stage picture, The Backline offers a bunch of challenges for you to try onstage tonight!  Also Rob tries to use a football term.  It's adorable!

This week Rob and Adam discuss what makes a good improv teacher, how to be a good student, and what sort of teachers they avoid.  As a student know your rights in class and what you deserve from a lesson plan.  The guys also discuss their favourite improv teachers and what qualities they liked best about them!

We make a lot of promises as improvisers, teachers, and corporate facilitators.  We promise new students that saying Yes, working as an ensemble, listening, and taking care of your partner can change lives.  But is it actually true?  In this episode, Adam and Rob recount stories from their own life and discuss changes they've noticed since starting their improv journey.  It gets personal...

Rob and Adam discuss the politics, technique, and obstacles to committing to a two-person improv troupe. Adam also reveals his greatest frustration while working with Rob.  It gets heated.  Then it cools down and congeals into longterm relationship.

This week Rob and Adam look at the most fundamental aspect of improv: the suggestion.  What's the best way to take an audience's idea? How should we use it?  Is a suggestion still important in modern improv?  All that and more!  Special thanks to listener Jordan Kennedy for the suggestion for this week's episode

This week Rob and Adam delve into the power of saying No is scenes.  Is saying No ever a good thing onstage?  How can saying No move a scene forward? When does No become dangerous in scenes.  Also Adam has a FitBit.  He's real excited about it!

It's the end of Season Two.  Rob and Adam discuss what makes up a quality scene, faulty checklists we are told we have to follow, and goals to strive for every time you step onstage.  After this episode, we'll be on a holiday hiatus.  Subscribe on Stitcher and iTunes for new episodes in Season Three!

This week Rob and Adam explore genres in improv.  What is a genre?  How do you elevate genre-work to a higher level?  Also Adam reveals why he hates genre and begrudgingly agreed to do this episode. Enjoy!

Is there a time when you look at your improv and think "Maybe I should cut my losses and quit?"  This week Rob and Adam discuss the complications involved when making that decisions and also recount their own times in their life when they almost quit.

This week Rob and Adam discuss stage personas improvisers often adopt when "playing themselves" when they first come onstage, take the suggestion, or between scenes.  But what does a stage persona actually mean? How can you charm an audience before you begin improvising and get them on your side?  Also Rob interviews the producer of Two Strikes, Jason Agnew and how persona is utilized to improve t...

Ugh, object work. The dreaded chore that every improviser must endure. No one wants to mime when there's stories to explore and jokes to make!  This week, Rob and Adam discuss problems with object work and offer five solutions to make your non-verbal offers dangerous, fun, and inspirational.

This week, Rob and Adam discuss characters, consistency, and change. When should your character change their emotion or energy? When should you reinvest? How is a shortform character different than longform?

This week we delve deep into what drives a scene: the dynamic. Rob and Adam investigate the differences between dynamic and relationship, how to keep your scenes in the now, and an easy way to figure out what your scene is about.  Also Adam loves coffee; Rob hates coffee. Enjoy!

This week Rob and Adam mind-meld to discuss their mystical, psychedelic, group mind encounters.  From working better together as a team to factors that prevent teams from synergizing, The Backline investigates shared mental models of all kinds!  Check out Planet Money: How Much Does a Cow Way and The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowiecki.  Or follow us on Twitter/Facebook @thebacklinepod for links!

Before every class or show, improvisers dedicate their time, energy, and focus to a series of activities that are supposed to improve their performance. But do they actually work?  Rob and Adam discuss the nature of warm-ups, how to use them effectively in rehearsal, and what to avoid when preparing before a big show. Also listener questions, updates on shows in Ottawa and Vancouver, and awards!

This week, Rob and Adam delve into hosting: interacting with the audience, common pitfalls for newer improvisers, and basing your style on the tone of the show.  Also listener suggestions of broad characters we never need to see again.