Match of improvisation
The match of theatrical improvisation was created on October 21st 1977 with the Quebec, under the control surface of the Experimental Theater of Montreal, by Yvon Leduc and Robert Gravel, which wished to try out new theatrical forms and approaches of the public. In order to break the elitism of the theater, they have the idea to use the form of the sport, by parodying popular the Hockey (decorum and rules).
The concept was deposited by their care under the name of “match of improvisation” and of the championships of the world of improvisation were even introduced.
In the beginning, this aspect competition was décrié by the actors: on the one hand, it tackled traditional creation; in addition, it revealed the competition which really exists in the theater world. But this concept of conflict, source of danger to the improvisers, interests the public and hustles the improvisation, pushing with the creativity and spontaneousness.
This concept developed with much success with the Quebec initially, then in the French-speaking world primarily. There exist however leagues of improvisation everywhere in the world in various languages, that it is in English in the United States or Spanish in Argentina and Spain.
Concept
Unfolding
Two teams made up each of 7 people (3 players, 3 players and a coach) clash in minis Patinoire of hockey (approximately 5m on 6m) out of wood in a regulation uniform (namely black slacks or jogging black, T-shirt, tennis shoes and shirt). The match is presented and animated by a Master of ceremony says MC (pronounce emsi ). A musician plays to heat the room and when staff or the teams acts in concert. It makes it possible to fill the idle periods and motivates the public and the players (sometimes, a DJ replaces the musician). A referee and two referees assistants are given the responsability to make comply with the rules and to enter the scores. They are equipped the such behaviors with referees and referees assistants with hockey.The referee draws randomly the Thème S (unknown of the players) in a barrel and indicates the form that the improvisation (the impro) will take while varying several elements:
- nature: mixed or compared : a mixed improvisation makes it possible to the two teams to play together whereas a compared improvisation sees the two teams following one another on the Patinoire.
- the title : it is most generally of a word or a short sentence chosen by the referee himself.
- the number of players : it can be free or imposed by the paperboard.
- the category : it can be free or dictated by the paperboard among a broad panel of possibilities (with the manner of Molière, Michel Audiard, sung, in rhymes, without words, quiet, with accessory, romantic picture story, etc)
- the duration : it generally varies 30 seconds to 8 minutes, but can go up to 20 minutes.
At the end of each improvisation, the public votes with a paperboard of color associated with each team for the best service. A point is granted to that which gains the improvisation.
The match proceeds in three periods (third-time) from 20 to 30 minutes each one and equips it which has the most points at the end of the match is declared gaining.
Constantly, the public can express its dissatisfaction or its trouble by throwing a slipper (also called slipper) on the skating rink (misadventures of Québécois rubbers).
The referee is there to make respect a certain number of well laid down rules. He can whistle faults using a gazou. Thus, there exist 16 official faults (See below). Each team adding up three faults gives a point to the opposing team.
The match of improvisation must remain a spectacle: if it takes as a starting point the sport and its competitive spirit, it is to parody them, such as imagined its founders. If it is well included/understood, the Match of Improvisation “plays to play a match”. The most remarkable aspect, and what incontestably explains the success of the Match of improvisation, is the fact that the public itself takes part in the spectacle and plays its own part.
Role of staff
Staff is generally composed of five people: three referees, one MC and one musician. The basic role of staff is to frame the match so that it is held as well as possible for the two teams. With this intention, each member of staff has some basic duties: He must guarantee a total impartiality between the two teams. He should not focus the attention of the public excessively so that the players are the most important element of the match. He must coordinate himself with the other members of staff, which ensures a spectacle with a good rate/rhythm.It is necessary to stress that the more sober staff is, the more the play of the players can be proposed. It is what makes the quality of a staff. Often, this quality is present when the various members of staff know each other or already collaborated together within the framework of the theatrical improvisation.
Another major asset for a staff is the communication. Indeed, a good staff can communicate very discreetly and simply. There must be an exchange of glances or some words that only staff can include/understand, and who should not be perceptible of the public.
A member of staff must (preferably) have a character. He should not play being his character, but he must be his character. Admittedly, a referee is not loved of the public and the players by definition, but it is not obliged to have an absolutely abominable air, it can be made hate in another manner. One MC or one musician can also have a character, even if it is often not perceived. They are often small keys as this one which gives an identity to a staff.
At the time of a match of improvisation, plus the referee is hated of the public, plus the players and their play will be appreciated of the public. This wants to say that if to be able reports/ratios tend to be reversed, the match will be tedious because the public will not have this small rage interior against the referee, and thus will be wearied of a match where the role of the characters (referees, players) does not have any more importance.
The referee can whistle faults, if he wants it. These faults are not present to annoy the players but the original intention of a fault is to help an improvisation. The fault will be whistled in order to warn the player whom it does not manage well the improvisation and which such or such point is to be improved (construction, advance of the history, occupation of space, verbal expression).
All these points confirm well that staff is important for the good progress and the framing of the match. Staff contributes to pose the framework of the ceremony, which puts at ease the players and allows them to carry out a good match. It should be recalled that the match is certainly the confrontation of two teams but the spectacle “match of impro” is created by the two teams and staff, together.
Signs of arbitration
During the match, the referee can whistle faults as many as he wants. Each fault has, for sign, a gesture. The referee (upright) whistles in his gazou by carrying out this gesture and while indicating to which belongs the fault. Here various faults, their respective sign and the reasons for which it are whistled.In complement of the table below you can find these signs in gifs here animated
A fault can be whistled either with a team, or with the two teams, or with a player. The referee, after having made it epic of the fault, designates a team or the two teams by pointing the side of their bench, or a player by pointing it directly.
Each team which adds up three faults offers a point to the opposing team.
Each fault can be raised if she is considered to be serious. At this time there, the referee whistles the fault normally by adding a sign: He downwards draws the two fists the top. A fault raised account like two faults on the table of score.
When a player, during a match, obtains two personal faults, the referee twice whistles a punishment of match (by typing the fists against the hips) and the player is expelled of the match.
In general, the referee whistles few personal faults. The most current faults are: illegal procedure, confusion, delay of play, except topic and category.
Introduction and development in various countries
Introduction and development in France
In 1981 is created in France after a match of demonstration to Avignon, then with the theater of Aubervilliers LIF league of French improvisation, it was the first foreign Ligue. It popularized the concept while playing as from 1984 each Monday in Bataclan with Paris. the AFLI (French Association of the Leagues of Improvisation), created in 1989, gathered at one time certain leagues juniors, Amateur S and Professionnel them. The purpose of it was to ensure the development of the matches of improvisation while taking care of the respect of the rule S and the initial concept. The AFLI ceased existing and the 7 professional leagues practitioner the match of impro created the LIF Pro.Many a Rencontre S takes place each weekend in France opposing different the team S from each Ligue. International meetings, and in particular of the World cups, are also regularly organized.
Leagues amateurs were also constituted in very great number, representing a city, an area, a department, without a federation not being born until now, because the practices are varied.
One has attended for a few years a certain turn which separates the improvisation in two currents. There are the leagues " puristes" who comply with to 100% the rules of the LNI. Others play without skating rink, some do not appreciate the concept of referee severe and replace it by a Master of play, the 3 thirds time are sometimes replaced by two half-times. This being known as the leagues are always able to meet and to get along on rules before playing together.
Therefore there exist two championships of France amateur:
- the PENKNIFE which gathers certain leagues having brought alternatives to the initial concept
- the Championship of France CAFCA with leagues attached to the rules of the LNI.
In 1996 were created in France, of the theatrical meetings of improvisation which exclusively bring together teams of companies, Universities and Universities. The work world is interested more and more in the techniques of improvisation.
The match of improvisation gave rise to many derivatives, of which in particular the spectacles of Café-théâtre of improvisation which develop more and more.
The match of improvisation was the object since its creation of a legal battle around the concept of royalty. This concept is very different in France and in the Anglo-Saxon countries. The LIDY, one of the first associations of theatrical improvisation in France, from which Jamel Debbouze is resulting, and who gathers associations of Yvelines and around, was assigned by the creators of the play Gravel and Leduc which claimed to deposit a concept of the match of improvisation in France. After 10 years of procedure, an agreement at summer concluded with the SACD, the LIDY and the authors, agreement which envisages to grant 60% of the royalties… to the actors who make the spectacle, and 40% to the authors. The match of improvisation was heard in the broad sense, including for spectacles not respecting completely the initial concept. The advantage of this agreement is to recognize the right of the actors.
Introduction and development in Belgium
The Belgian version began in 1984 with the Ligue from Improvisation Belgian. She is a constant success and occurs with Brussels.
Other concepts
See also: Theater of improvisation
See too
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