.. a Cockney cab driver. "I were up the Comedy Store the uvver night, wotchin' some fantastic improv, and I were finkin' wot a valuable skill it is for speakers, mate..." I know, it doesn't really work, does it? The guys at the Comedy Store would have done it so much better.
But there is a valid point here. The ability to improvise is extremely valuable to speakers, for several reasons. Firstly, it gives them a good chance to cope if something goes wrong. Secondly, it can make them more creative when preparing a speech. Thirdly, it can make them a devastating destroyer of hecklers (of course, like me, you don't get heckled, do you?)
After the show, I spoke to Neil Mullarkey, founder of the Comedy store and improviser supreme. I asked him how he did it. "Simple" he said "All you need to do is to say 'yes' to everything. If you're playing the role of a baker, for example, you simply believe that you are the best baker ever, and act accordingly". It certainly works for him, since he entertained 400 of us in the audience for two hours, along with his comedy colleagues.
It really does sound simple. I'm gong to try it (not necessarily being a baker, but you know what I mean). Why don't you give it a go? And maybe I'll see you at the Comedy Store too.
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