Read Truth in Comedy: The Manual of Improvisation for Free Online

too.' That's one of the first things he ever said to me, and he taught me the balance. He taught me everything I know," says Farley.
    "From Del, I learned to face my fear. He taught me to follow that fear and trust that something will come to me, to step off the cliff and take a risk."
    Of course, it's much easier to fearlessly attack the stage when a player can trust his teammates to support him. One of the best ways to teach support and trust — and reinforce the use of patterns and connections — is through a game called "The Hot Spot."
    THE HOT SPOT
    When "The Hot Spot" is played correctly, it's a joy to behold, and even more enjoyable to create. When it's not done well, it can be excruciatingly embarrassing for all concerned.
    This game utilizes several of the previously discussed improv principles. The Hot Spot demonstrates how easy it is to make connections, even when players don't realize they are doing so; it also teaches the absolute necessity of players supporting each other. Students quickly learn that the game is more important than its individual players; egos have to be sacrificed for the good of the game. The greater the trust, the faster and funnier the game.
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The rules are actually quite simple. The players gather on stage in a loose half-circle around an imaginary "hot spot," located down stage center. The group must create a musical pattern of ideas, using lines from real songs, inspired by a previous scene or the general theme of the piece.
    To do this, one person stands firmly on the hot spot. He has the "spotlight," and must begin a song, singing loudly and confidently.
    Before he can finish the second line, however, another player literally pushes him off of the hot spot. The new player loudly and confidently begins singing a different song that has been inspired by the one he has just heard.
    He is immediately interrupted by a third player, who knocks him off the hot spot and begins singing another song, similar in theme. This continues at a fast pace, with players bumping each other away at a rapid clip (just as acts used to get the "hook" in vaudeville days).
    Each of the players is responsible for keeping the game moving at a very fast pace by pushing each other off the hot spot as soon as the idea has been conveyed. Game moves may — and should, be — repeated to keep the pattern circling back.
    EXAMPLE: If the theme of the Hot Spot was "Sex," the game might start out with players singing the following:
    PLAYER ONE: "I'm just a girl who can't say no —" PLAYER TWO: "But will you love me tomorrow —" PLAYER THREE: "Girls just want to have fun —" PLAYER FOUR: "When will you marry me, Bill —"
    Obviously, this is the beginning of a pattern of songs dealing with commitment (or the lack of) in relationships. This might be inspired by the theme of sex.
    Another example of the Hot Spot was used in a Harold inspired by the theme of "growing up." These songs actually built the story of a life, while returning to key points of that life:
    PLAYER ONE: "Happy birthday to you —" PLAYER TWO: "I won't
    grow up! I don't want to go to school —"
    PLAYER THREE: "Smokin' in the boys' room —" PLAYER FOUR:
    "When I was 17, it was a very good year —"
    PLAYER ONE: "Happy birthday to you —"
    PLAYER THREE: "When I was 21, it was a very good year —" PLAYER TWO: "When Johnny comes marching home again, hurrah,
    hurrah —"
    PLAYER FOUR: "Get a job, sha na na na —"
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PLAYER FIVE: "Workin' nine to five, what a way to make a livin' —" PLAYER TWO: "Take this job and shove it, I ain't workin' here no more
    —"
    PLAYER ONE: "Happy birthday to you —"
    PLAYER TWO: "When I was 35, it was a very good year —"
    PLAYER FOUR: "When I get older, losing my hair, many years from now
    —"
    PLAYER FIVE: "Old man, take a look at my life, I'm a lot like you —" PLAYER TWO: "Day is done, gone the sun —"
    Clearly, the players dealt with birth, childhood, school, the army, jobs, marriage, and death — a