The Spontaneity Shop: Performance and training Improvisation company
Home > About > Q And A > Alex Clarke
- What made you want to do Level One?
- After seeing some amazing impro in Edinburgh a few years ago I'd been dying to try it myself so when I heard about the Spontaneity Shop it seemed like the perfect answer - and it has been!
- What were you hoping to get out of it?
- I wanted the buzz of performing and the camaraderie of putting on a show with a group. But I also wanted to do something new and exciting that I'd never done before - something challenging.
- What sort of things have you learnt?
- The mechanics of creating a story; ways of building up the other performers and being good to work with; how to seize random ideas and make them work instead of waiting for The Perfect Inspiration, and how to fail (completely and embarrassingly) but get over it.
- What has been the most challenging part?
- Learning to get over failing completely and embarrassingly…
- What's been the most fun?
- I loved the week when we learned Gibberish. It was amazing how quickly we became fluent and an extra language is always a CV bonus…
- Would you recommend it to others?
- I would recommend it to EVERYONE. It has been great fun and I have learned so much - about improvisation but also about creativity in general. Since joining the course I have been feeling excited about performing and writing and life itself in a way I haven't for ages. (I know I sound like an advert….actually I genuinely feel like one.)
- Are you going to do Level Two and if so why?
- Yes, because I want MORE.
- Have you found Level One to be fun socially?
- It has been great getting to know all of the different people on the course - from stand-up comedians to accountants. Every week we go to the pub after the course and we meet up with people from Levels 2 and 3 as well. It's not like doing an evening class and going off home - the course makes you part of a real community.
- What else do you enjoy about The Spontaneity Shop?
- I love the way there's always so much going on - shows, jamming sessions etc
- How many degrees of separation between you and Kevin Bacon?
- I was once in a motorway service station with Kate Winslet who was in Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind with Jim Carrey who was in The Mask with Cameron Diaz who was in Vanilla Sky with Tom Cruise who was in A Few Good Men with Kevin Bacon. Kate passed me a bottle of water…I'm looking forward to featuring in her memoirs. And Kevin's of course.
- What one thing should we know about you?
- I can cry like a new born baby. Really, exactly like one.
- Would you rather accept and Oscar or wield a light saber?
- Wield an Oscar.
