The Backline - An Improv Podcast

After an afternoon on set, Adam wonders about the future of improv on television.  What changes when you record an improv show?  Why isn't more improv on TV? If television networks don't want more improvised content, then is improv forever relagated to damp basements with sticky floors?

When you spend tons of time with the same people over and over again, you're bound to get frustrated with some of them.  Where does all that frustration go?  What if you hate your classmate, teammate, or even your coach?  This week Rob and Adam delve deep into blame, exclusion, and keeping it all together.

This week Rob and Adam discuss what's it like to "play yourself" onstage.  From grounded scenes to nuanced heightening to characters who talk just like you!

This week Adam and Rob discuss our relationship with the audience, how to follow Blue acts, and what to do when our expectations don't match what the audience wants. Also oil lamps.

In this episode, Rob and Adam discuss casting and what does the "perfect" Harold team look like! If you'd like to play at home, pick 8 archetypes from the list below: 1) Initiator - This player starts scenes.  Always the first person out.  2) Listener - This person is always 2nd out.  Very good at supporting their partner's offers. 3) Glue Player - Directs the show from within.  Very good at editi...

This week Adam and Rob discuss the importance of swagger, showmanship, and stagecraft in improv scenes.  Whether you're struggling controlling an audience or you're stuck in a scene that's gone terribly wrong, then this episode is for you.

This week Adam chats with Rob from Copenhagen, Denmark to discuss that terrible, awkward, weird feeling when you bomb.  What do you say? How do you manage the feeling? What do you say to your friends.  Also, updates on Rob's tour through Latvia and Denmark.

This week Rob and Adam revisit the Game of the Scene from Season One, and discuss how their views have evolved over the past four years.  From pattern recongition to heightening, all is covered in this episode.  If you're new to GOTS, check out GOTS (ep. 14), Push/Pull (81), and Framing (ep. 118) before giving this episode a listen!

This week Rob and Adam answer listener questions! From improv copyrights to accents to panicking onstage to the walk-ons - all will be revealed. Please if someone knows where Rob's dad is, contact us @thebacklinepod on Facebook or Twitter.

Rob And Adam talk disappointment. 

This week Rob and Adam discuss the very theoretical scenario of opening an improv theatre. What do you need? What resources do you require? How does an improv theatre actually work?  Also if you have a really bad business idea for an improv theatre, let us know your worst ideas at thebacklinepod on Twitter and Facebook.

If we don't need to literally say "Yes And" to offers in scenes, then what does agreement actually look like? With this new defintion, what is blocking?  Is blocking even possible in modern improv? This week Rob and Adam do a deep dive on all-things negative, contrarian, and self-defeating.  If you're stalling out in scenes or frustrated by nay-sayers in your troupe, this episode is for you.

For students new to improv, classes are a great way to meet people, involve yourself in the community, and hone your craft. But what do you do when classes are no longer challenging you and you aren't getting any better?  This week Adam and Rob discuss what you can do with $300 to improve your abilities onstage outside of the classroom.  Also Rob took a photo in a clawfoot tub.

This week Rob and Adam discuss all things therapy!  From improv as therapy to their real expereinces inside a therapist's office, and the importance of mental health care in an industry full of rejection, self-doubt, and hurt. If you have your experiences how improv have changed you, let us know! Drop us a line to @backlinepod on Facebook or Twitter.

Canadian Comedy Award winner Adam Cawley has a couple pet peeves that he has to get off his chest! Watch out relaxed improvisers! Beware trucks parked in the bike lane! Prenez-garde major corporations who slightly inconvenience the public! Angry Adam is on a rampage.  And it all starts with how much effort and care you bring to the stage.

This week Rob and Adam discuss The Maker, Toronto's best kept longform secret. In this episode, you'll learn The Maker's origins, the nature of thematic longform, and how to try one in your own city.  Get ready for a metanarrative improv rollercoaster ride of adventure. Also Adam is angry when riding bikes. 

"I got your back" is the last thing you hear from your teammates before you leap onstage.  But real trust is more than just a platitude.  It's earned.  What do you do when you struggle with putting your faith in others? Where does distrust come from? How do you overcome it?  This week Adam and Rob, do a deep dive on the essence of ensemble work.

This week Rob and Adam discuss their decision to leave MANTOWN: The Improvised Frat Party after 12 years of service. When is it a good time to leave? Why should you stay on a team?  What does it mean?  All will be discussed in this week's episode of THE BACKLINE WITH ROB AND ADAM.  

What happens in the first 30 seconds of your scene - determines what you'll be stuck playing for the next 4 minutes.  This week Rob and Adam explore the challenges of starting a scene and what typically goes wrong.  

It's the premiere of SEASON FOUR OF THE BACKLINE! This episode Rob and Adam debrief The Harold Experience from the Next Stage Festival. What does it mean to do a Harold for an hour?  What burden do improv shows face in front of a non-improv theatre crowd? How do adapt a classic form for the needs of your theatre.  Special thanks to Marius from Copenhagen for the question!

This episode Rob and Adam say goodbye to the dark cloud that was 2017 by remembering all the good things: the touring, the travel, and burgeoning improv communities across the globe! Also have you read any Dragonlance novels?  Let us know @thebacklinepod on Twitter and Facebook.

Of course, you never want to judge an offer.  But sometimes it's easier said than done.  This week Rob and Adam discuss the nature of judgment and investigate where it comes from, how to deal with challenging offers, and when judging an offer might actually benefit your scene, your partner, and the show.

Sherpas live near the Himalayan mountains. They are known to be expert mountaineers and sometimes guide foreigner through the perilous trek up the mountain.   For many veterans, guiding new improvisers through an improv jam can be equally daunting. So how do you take care of newbies and ensure they arrive at peak in one piece?  Special thanks to Linda Julia Paolucci this episode!  If you have your...

FROM THE ARCHIVES:  This week Adam and Rob talk about might be running through your head, standing on the backline of a longform improv set.  Great improvisers don't walk onstage and just do good improv scenes.  They are mindful of the scenes that came before, the overall energy of the show, what variety looks like in longform improv, and most importantly what's missing from a show.  Also the guys...

This spooky Halloween episode, deals with using arcane sorcery to animate a character and bring it to life!!!  Adam and Rob talk Tatiana Maslany, Mike Myers, Hot 30's, and accents. Regardless, this episode is full of improv tricks and treats.  Enjoy!