The Spontaneity Shop: Performance and training Improvisation company
Home > About > Q And A > Tell Tales
- Tom, TellTales is a format you invented which has been performed by The Spontaneity Shop and internationally. What is TellTales?
- TellTales is a long-form improvisation format. It is a structure which supports
an improvised play, usually running about 45 minutes. The improvisers (usually about
5 of them) each get a suggestion from the audience to inspire a character. This done,
all but one leaves the stage and the remaining improviser delivers a monologue
introducing their character to the audience. When a second improviser enters, the first
improviser must leave and so the story is developed through a series of monologues.
Each improviser revisits the stage many times, sometimes playing multiple characters
and gradually a story emerges. Or we hope it does. On a bad night, it's just a bunch
of unrelated characters telling you what they think. I was inspired to create it
after thinking about the existing game "Spoon River". There are other similar formats
out there, but I've never seen them done.
That's a picture of Chris that we used on some TellTales publicity, by the way. He's better looking than I am.
- Why monologues?
- It's a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, there are no other improvisers on stage with you who will get in your way. On the other hand there's no one there to catch you if you fall, either. The two week run of the format which we did really sharpened us up as a group in terms of our storytelling and character skills.
- Did the format develop throughout the production?
- Jim Libby, genius American improviser from Vienna, made it a touch more theatrical by pointing out that we could transition from one monologue to another more slowly. He's a smart guy, that Jim Libby.
- Which groups have performed Tell Tales?
- The Spontaneity Shop (durr), The Undersigned, The English Lovers, Brisbane TheatreSports have all taken a whack at it. I directed some early Undersigned rehearsals and saw a couple of their shows, but I haven't seen the other guys do it. I bet it would be different, but that doesn't mean it won't be great.
- What would your advice be if a group wanted to perform Tell Tales?
- Suck it and see. It's not an easy format, and it won't stand the weight of too many jokes but it can be very funny if you commit to the story. Buy me a beer and I'll talk you through some of the pitfalls. Then, come back and let me know why all my advice was useless. Oh, it'd be nice if you gave me a credit too.
- How can a group get in touch if they'd like to know more?
- Send me an email at tom@the-spontaneity-shop.com. Actually, I secretly read everyone's emails here, so email whoever you like.
