It is here!

Hello international impro friends!

Well, it has happened!
My book has arrived.
I can't begin to describe the feelings. Excitement, nervousness, joy and fear.
Fear?
Yes fear.
Fear of the unknown.
Writing a book is like an impro scene.

Impro Blog, English, Improvise Freely, Patti Stiles, bookPatti Stiles26 July 2021impro, improv, improvisation, impro thoughts, impro skills, Patti Stiles

Productive Stupidity

We need to allow ourselves to be productively stupid again. To not know the answers and be delighted and curious by the questions. To get back into discovery and move away from delivery.

Patti's ponderings, Impro Blog, EnglishPatti Stiles30 May 2019improvisation, impro content, improv, impro skills, impro thoughts, Patti StilesComment

Post show notes

Our emotional response to the note makes it negative or positive. If you are seeking validation and praise in notes then any note that doesn’t reward you, will be perceived as negative because it will rub your ego the wrong way. However, if you are listening to notes for information you will hear this note as that and be curious to learn more.

English, Impro Blog, Patti's ponderingsPatti Stiles30 April 2019improvisation, impro content, impro formats, impro thoughts, improv, impro skills, Patti StilesComment

Don't do your best.

Process rehearsals work in solving problems together as a team so notes are necessary as it is input of information to help understand if we solved the problems or we need to try new approaches.

End goal rehearsals work in identifying what you should and should not do in a very right and wrong mentality. It creates more individual and less team focus.

English, Impro Blog, Patti's ponderingsPatti Stiles30 March 2019improvisation, impro thoughts, improv, impro content, impro skills, impro, Patti StilesComment

Impro Sorting Hat

I’ve just had the wonderful experience of playing and directing the London 50 hour soap a thon. The theme was Western and the show called The Good, The Bad and The Fifty – a marvellous title.

Impro Blog, Patti's ponderings, EnglishPatti Stiles1 March 2019blog, impro, impro content, impro formats, Impro Inspirations, impro skills, impro thoughts, impro tricks, improv, improvisation, Patti Stiles, Patti’s ponderingsComment

Conditioning & Communication

Children choosing their own outfit are wonderful to watch. Exploration, expression of individuality and choices. Choices made regardless of how people might respond because the response is not the objective, getting dressed is.

Impro Blog, Patti's ponderings, EnglishPatti Stiles24 January 2019impro, Impro Inspirations, impro skills, impro thoughts, improv, improvisation, Patti Stiles, Patti’s ponderings, communication Comments

To 'V' or not to 'V'? That is the question.

As a student or audience member of improvisation you may have noticed that the spelling changes. Sometimes impro, sometimes improv. That magical mystery appearing and disappearing V.

Impro Blog, EnglishPatti Stiles11 March 2017blog, impro, impro ethics, impro skills, improv, improvisation, Patti Stiles Comments

Inspire Your Partner

Inspire Your Partner is a very important phrase. It goes hand in hand with Make Your Partner Look Good. Both of these are my impro mantras and what I aim towards each time I teach, perform or direct.

Impro Blog, EnglishPatti Stiles26 April 2014directing impro, impro, impro ethics, impro skills, improv, improvisation, Patti Stiles Comments

Inside Out not Outside In

Internationally there is a Format explosion! Everyone is creating one and festivals now seem to be more focused on format presentation and format workshops, then collaboration between groups and skills development.

Impro Blog, Patti's ponderings, EnglishPatti Stiles6 August 2013impro, impro formats, impro skills, improv, improvisation, Patti Stiles Comments

Breaking Patterns

Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way.- Edward de Bono

Impro Blog, Patti's ponderings, EnglishPatti Stiles5 June 2013impro, Impro games, impro skills, improv, improvisation, Patti StilesComment

Same Sex Scenes

A little over a month ago I was in a show and there was a scene in which two men kissed. The audience was laughing loudly at the kiss. In contrast I found myself mentally sighing. At the time I thought I had that reaction because I had seen this gag before.

Impro Blog, EnglishPatti Stiles1 June 2013impro, impro skills, improv, improvisation, intimacy, Patti Stiles Comments

He said / She said or Stage Directions

The fine folk at We Are Improv asked me to write a blog post focusing on a favourite game or exercise and I picked He Said / She Said or as it is also known as Stage Directions.

Here is the LINK TO WE ARE IMPROV PAGE.

Impro Blog, EnglishPatti Stiles1 May 2013He said / she said, impro, Impro games, impro skills, improv, improvisation, Patti Stiles

Again! a discovery

I’m quite excited by a discovery from the Scene Work class a few weekends ago.

Impro Blog, EnglishPatti Stiles13 March 2013impro, impro skills, improv, improvisation, Patti StilesComment

Long Form & Mortal Coil

Years ago I started playing with a long form idea which was eventually titled Mortal Coil. After a few facebook comments it was suggested I should write a blog about it

Impro Blog, EnglishPatti Stiles27 January 2013directing impro, impro, impro formats, impro skills, improv, improvisation, long form, Patti Stiles Comments

Intimacy & Impro

This blog's musings comes from a fb post about intimacy in improvisation. A subject that seems to be, excuse the pun, a touchy subject for some companies.

Impro Blog, EnglishPatti Stiles13 October 2012impro, impro skills, improv, intimacy, Patti Stiles Comments

How The West Was Improvised

At the beginning of July all hell breaks loose in glorious spontaneity at Improvention; a Impro Festival in Canberra produced by the amazing folk at Impro Theatre ACT