https://www.themaydays.co.uk/girl-boy-irrelevant-how-improv-takes-us-out-of-unwanted-boxes/ Improvised Comedy Wed, 03 Sep 2014 18:55:00 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 https://www.themaydays.co.uk/girl-boy-irrelevant-how-improv-takes-us-out-of-unwanted-boxes/#comment-107 Sun, 09 Mar 2014 10:40:00 +0000 http://localhost/weebly2wp/?p=3#comment-107 Great article!
When I’ve run all-female improv workshops for women who have only ever performed in mixed troupes, they often feel more free to play with gender in a realistic way.
Weirdly by being in Short & Girlie Show, an all-female troupe, it seems to take gender out of the equation.
We do play stereotypes at times; altering voice or stance, choosing a gender to go with the job your character’s been allocated. But I guess it’s just how far you take it.
The more truthful scenes are funnier.

]]> https://www.themaydays.co.uk/girl-boy-irrelevant-how-improv-takes-us-out-of-unwanted-boxes/#comment-106 Sun, 09 Mar 2014 06:04:00 +0000 http://localhost/weebly2wp/?p=3#comment-106 Absolutely! In a not unrelated note, I’ve noticed more times than I care to remember, that if 2 women are on stage, and one of them is in a position of power – president, for instance – the other will default to calling them ‘sir’, endowing them with being a man. Nothing essentially wrong with that, but it’s mildly depressing that it reoccurs so often. Similarily, I’ve noticed when directing younger female performers in a scene that requires conflict / argument, they’ll usually decide to ‘fight’ over a boy .. I tend to get all Bedchell about it, and suggest that they’re two competing scientists arguing over who came up with an invention. It’s revealing just how revolutionary they seem to find the ‘permission’ ..

]]> https://www.themaydays.co.uk/girl-boy-irrelevant-how-improv-takes-us-out-of-unwanted-boxes/#comment-105 Sun, 09 Mar 2014 02:44:00 +0000 http://localhost/weebly2wp/?p=3#comment-105 Couldn’t agree more! This is the same reason why I get so frustrated by lady magazines. When I used to read them as a confused teenager I would get down on myself for not knowing more about what make-up goes best with the shape of my face or what trousers best compliment my hip to waist ratio…. snoooooore. I mean is that really what girls are all about? I’d rather be considered a PERSON before being defined as a girl.

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