In a scene [where the improvisers must interact] without the letter S, the audience is waiting for you to lose - so they can laugh at you. Don't try to win. Keith Johnstone More Quotes by Keith Johnstone More Quotes From Keith Johnstone There are people who prefer to say ‘Yes’, and there are people who prefer to say ‘No’. Those who say ‘Yes’ are rewarded by the adventures they have, and those who say ‘No’ are rewarded by the safety they attain. Keith Johnstone safety adventure people The improviser has to understand that his first skill lies in releasing his partner’s imagination. Keith Johnstone skills imagination lying Good improvisers seem telepathic; everything looks pre-arranged, This is because they accept all offers made—which is something no ‘normal’ person would do. Keith Johnstone normal accepting looks Imagination is as effortless as perception, unless we think it might be ‘wrong’, which is what our education encourages us to believe. Keith Johnstone imagination believe thinking Many teachers think of children as immature adults. It might lead to better and more 'respectful' teaching, if we thought of adults as atrophied children. Keith Johnstone teaching teacher children If people had no fear, you'd hardly need to have to teach them. It's the fear that screws everything up. Keith Johnstone no-fear people needs If you have a good idea, open your mouth and say something else. Keith Johnstone ironic funny ideas None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public. Keith Johnstone behave growing-up grows Most people I meet are secretly convinced that they’re a little crazier than the average person. People understand the energy necessary to maintain their own shields, but not the energy expended by other people. They understand that their own sanity is a performance, but when confronted by other people they confuse the person with the role. Keith Johnstone energy average people At school any spontaneous act was likely to get me into trouble. I learned never to act on impulse, and that whatever came into my mind first should be rejected in favour of better ideas. I learned that my imagination Wasn’t ‘good’ enough. I learned that the first idea was unsatisfactory because it was (1) psychotic; (2) obscene; (3) unoriginal. The truth is that the best ideas are often psychotic, obscene and unoriginal. Keith Johnstone imagination ideas school The best laughs are on the recognition of truth. Keith Johnstone recognition laughing If you believe you're good already, you don't need to do extra stuff to impress us. Your best work comes when you're absorbed; because then your ego is away. Keith Johnstone ego believe needs I tell people not to do their best. I don't know when that started. Quite a while ago. Because I . . . when they're doing their best I don't get their best. So I try to persuade them to be average. Because if you're wonderful and you're average, you're still wonderful. If you're a bad improviser and you're average, you're what you are. Keith Johnstone trying average people Suppose Mozart had tried to be original? It would have been like a man at the North Pole trying to walk north, and this is true of all of the rest of us. Striving after originality takes you far away from your true self, and makes your work mediocre. Keith Johnstone self trying men Enjoy things even when you’re screwing up. Keith Johnstone enjoy In life most of us are highly skilled at suppressing action. Bad improvisers block action often with a high degree of skill. Good improvisers develop action. Keith Johnstone degrees block skills An artist who is inspired is being obvious. He’s not making any decisions, he’s not weighing one idea against another. He’s accepting his first thoughts. Keith Johnstone artist decision ideas Every time you go the way the audience expects, they'll think you're original. People laugh with pleasure at the obvious. Keith Johnstone laughing people thinking Many teachers think of children as immature adults. It might lead to better and more 'respectful' teaching, if we thought of adults as atrophied children. Many 'well-adjusted' adults are bitter, uncreative, frightened, unimaginative, and rather hostile people. Instead of assuming they were born that way, or that that's what being an adult entails, we might consider them as people damaged by their education and upbringing. Keith Johnstone teaching teacher children Don't come on to be funny - come on to solve problems. Keith Johnstone solve problem
