[col-sect][column]The warm-up exercise for Monday night’s acting class was this: we’re all standing in a big circle (as usual) and now it’s your turn, so you go up to each person separately and perform some form of “Hi, how are you?” one at a time while everyone is patiently watching/waiting. Thing is that you have to do it differently each time, so one time it’s a formal introduction, “Hello, Patrick O’Sullivan. How are you?” The next time it’s an enthusiastic, “Bob! How long has it been?” Then a friendly “Hey” Fun, right? Well it is… after three times… But there are twelve people in the class, and it doesn’t take long to exhaust your usual repertoire of styles of “hi’s and hello’s.” After that you’re inventing things on the spot. Not easy.

Some students are great at it. They were doing things like “Hi Grandpa” or crouching down as if to say hellooo to a small child. The intent of the exercise  is to loosen you up, and I can see how it would do just that.

[INTERLUDE] Oh hold on, I’m at a café and I think the couple at the table next to me are on a first date. I can hear everything they’re saying. She’s talking a lot. The guy’s sitting there with his arms crossed and his hand covering his mouth, which is body language for ‘please stop talking.’ But she’s just blabbing on and on about what classes she’s going to sign up for next term. It’s a 95 to 5 conversational posession. She’s sold. I can tell. Her legs are crossed over her knee and her foot is high and bouncing all over the place. Huh. Oh, she finally asked him a question. He may just start talking. [/column][column]Aaand hmm, well sorry folks, but this guy has no game. She’s quite pretty, and he’s talking about work. “We are definitely seeing a shift in the discipline towards crime prevention. Like I enjoy it. Kitchen sink, that’s what I think of. Just eveything’s involved. Right now I am investigating an under cover interrogation technique within consitutional limits.” Dude, that is not exactly panty-removing conversation. And how about that, the foot is not bouncing anymore. It may just be a match made in heaven; they can bore each other for the rest of their lives. [END OF INTERLUDE]

Where was I? Right, so I’d think that this warm-up technique requires improv. There are some talented and funny, quick-thinking people in this class. I am not one of them. Improv is a skill and I really don’t care to work on it. Not that I don’t think it’s valuable, more just that I’d rather work on getting better at that which I have more of a natural inclination for.

[INTERLUDE] “… Formal investigation” “They’ve looked at the transition from a visible psychological interrogation to now, where the suspects are not under arrest and not aware that they’re speaking to a police officer.” “The suspect doesn’t forsee that he’s confessing to a cop.” Bla bla bla woof woof … “evidence that can conclusively say that …” bla bla bla woof woof. This guy’s dying here. This is becoming a lengthy explanation. He’s leaning in, but Girl is definitely cooling. He should ask her more about her courses and registration deadlines for res. She seems to really like talking about that. [END OF INTERLUDE].[/column][/col-sect]

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