Go to a page that looks like this, and you can read a thing that I wrote

I was recently asked by the good people over at We Are Improv to do a little write-up on one of my favourite games, and talk about it as it relates to practicing, learning and performing improvisation.

So I did that and the result was just posted. It’s called Bridge Building with Ryan Millar, and it’s all about one of my favourite games, and one of the most ridiculously easy games you could ever hope to play. Zoom. Head on over and have a read, I think it turned out pretty well.

Here’s a little excerpt:

Zoom is the simplest game I know. And not just in improv terms – in terms of gameplay it is ridiculously basic, and yet within it lie so many variations, all of which seem to offer one useful lesson or another. And, aside from any ‘learnings’, after a few rounds of Zoom the room is always ready for what comes next. 

It’s so damn simple that people often look for something more. There’s a tendency for beginners to get bored, and let their mind wander. Or freeze up when they receive the Zoom, or even to try and ‘create something funny’ because they don’t yet trust that their sincere playing of the game is enough. 

But it is. The game teaches impulse management – just receive the impulse and pass it along, do nothing in between. 

Sometimes the Zoom goes fast or slow, or someone gets crossed up. These things always work themselves out and nobody ever gets hurt. So already, in the first minutes of the workshop, we’re focusing on: 

  • Making strong offers 
  • Full-body listening 
  • Accepting mistakes 
  • Being in the moment

Read the rest over on their blog, and make sure you check out the other Bridge Builders, there are some great exercises and musings.