Monday, February 7, 2011

Game Theory of the Improv Scene

Something I've been working through as a coach and a player, is the problem of balancing stage time. You want to feel responsibility for the show, but you also don't want it to feel like a one-man-team. Should you play aggressively or politely? There's certainly some individual wisdom required, but I think I've decided what the default mode should be. Here's a game theory chart to explain:


No matter what Player 1 does, Player 2 should always play aggressively. No matter what Player 2 does, Player 1 should always play aggressively. Best of all, if both follow this strategy it results in the best possible scene, fast-paced and exciting. And you though Game Theory was just for classrooms and reality TV.

This has also been posted on my personal blog.

6 comments:

  1. I like your diagram, and I agree about always attacking a scene. But what do you mean when you say "polite." Are you saying it to mean timid and unsure, or are you saying it to mean low status, or something else. Please elaborate for my general curiosity? Thanks.

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  2. I mean timid in the scene or on the sidelines. Waiting to deffer to your fellow player in stead of creating content yourself.

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  3. Kinda like an experienced mason rather than a construction temp?...if we want to continue with the brick analogy.

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  4. Yes, if being a good brick layer was mostly about confidence in choice making.

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  5. Fast paced in the sense that there are no points where either of the players are making passive choices, yes. Not to say that a choice to have a slower scene or a contemplative pause is not "a good scene."

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