Friday, March 29, 2013

Know Name Love

The general whatnot of this post is as follows:

Knowledge shmoledge, just fucking DO something (constructive though, don't be a dick).

You need not read further.

But by chance you do, I have reasons. I've been learning a lot about improvisation, that "least respected, but by far hardest-to-do-really-well" forms of theater. See, while this form of theater prides itself on "not having rules," one will surely fail without some asshole-proof guidelines. One guideline of which is "Know. Name. Love"

              (Oh shit. Know Name Love? I think I saw them at Burning Man.)

It's useful but not as simple as you think. The premise is as such: Whatever improvisational game you enter you establish by knowing (family, friend, coach, doctor, etc) your partner, naming (Jim, Joe, Beth, Normal Name McGoo) them, and loving (not necessarily in the biblical sense, but maybe sometimes if it's apro-status) them.

Mr. Rogers (yeah, I'm bringing up Mr. Rogers. DEAL. WITH. THAT.) said the reason he went into television was because whenever he turned on the TV as a child it was filled with angry people that were mean to each other and he wanted to provide an alternative. In essence, Mr. Rogers wanted to Know Name Love the pants off of the television watching masses. And I like that.




Keep in mind this was when TV was almost just invented and they just hadn't figured out The New Girl/Friends best friend-roommate-romantic interest format yet.

                (Hey, if it works...do it again 10 years later...is the old adage. Right?)

Arneways. Not a typo. Know Name Love. It's hard because if I can't remember someone I have just mets' (wow I am so aware that apostrophe does NOT go there but it is a mystery to me as to where it does) name 10 seconds after they tell it to me IRL, than far be it from anyone* to assume that I will remember it in a high stress situation onstage doing things that are things that lead to sometimes laughter, but most times panic attacks.

Know Name Love.

Deep, yo.

I've been using this on the day to day in non-stage relations, and the pay off is astounding. Mostly the last part, Love. Making an effort to love the people you're not necessarily attune to loving...man is that a trip. People actually respond positively to your love for them??? What sorcery is this? Not right away, but gnaw away with your love molars (and DON'T be sarcastic about it. You think you're Regina from Mean Girls? Well, YOU'RE NOT and even if you were, that bitch got hit by a bus, people tend to forget that) they'll get that sexy infection that is your friendship eventually. Guaranteed.





Know, Name, Love. I lost the original point somewhere early on, but I would hope you're used to that by now.



*yeah I thought it was "for" as well and guess what, we're both dumb. Go here http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/far+be+it+from+me+to

*IRL- I didn't put an asterisk next to it because I didn't want to embarrass you. IRL means In Real Life. Don't go into any other internet forum without this knowledge.

1 comment:

  1. I shall work on sharpening my love molars today. Love!

    ReplyDelete