4 Quick Ways To "And" The Top Of Your Scene

"Yes And" is the central mantra of all improvisers. We all want to "Yes" and we desperately want to "And".

We could delve into "yes and" and how it changes depending on the scene, the experience of the improviser, the type of show and so on. But for now, let's put it at its simplest:

"Yes" is you supporting, accepting and taking on your scene-partners offer.
"And" is adding more.

But what do we add when we add more?

When we're starting out, "And" often gets interpreted as "say more about what's going on" - "Yes, you're my friend, and we're bowling". This is great, but there are multiple different ways you can add more information without explicitly having to label the next thing happening in the scene.

At the top of the scene we want you to "and" like crazy to help establish and understand what's going on. So, here are 4 quick ways you can think about the type of information you "and" when you're starting your scene.

Specifics

This is the one we tend to think of first: Information about the physical world we are in. It could be describing what you're doing, adding some detail to the environment, or your character and how they look or act.

If someone says "Thanks for coming to this work do with me" it could be "and"ing by

Describing the space "This place is gorgeous, look at that chandelier!"
Describing your scene-partner "I'm sure your boss will love that bow tie you're wearing"
Describing yourself "Sorry I'm such a mess, I spilt coffee all down myself on the way here"

It helps flesh out the world. We start to see the scene that your characters are living in, who they are and what they look like.

Relationship / Connection

Adding information that tells us more about the connection between the characters helps cement that bond that you can then play in the scene.

It can be as simple as labelling the relationship "You're my boyfriend, of course I'd come to your work do". But don't forget that the depth, the type, or the intensity of the connection are as important as literally saying what the relationship is.

So as well as labelling it, you can:

Give some history to your relationship "I feel like I embarrassed you at the last one of these when I fell over the buffet table"
Add more info about the depth of the connection "This is a big step for us, going to work dos together as an official couple"
Add more info about the intensity "I would do anything for you, you want me at your work do then I am here to support you!"

Emotion

Adding emotion is an incredibly fruitful way to "and". It shows you are listening and making a choice about how your character feels - one that leads to more choices down the line.

Some players instinctively tap into their emotions early on, others take a little longer to apply them quickly and easily. If you find you're less likely to go to this one, it's a great option for stretching yourself to make it an easier part of your play.

"I'm so excited! I never get to go to parties"
"Everyone here is so fancy, I'm nervous I really stand out"
"I'm here to support you, but I can't help feeling sad that I don't have a job as nice as yours"

Make it Matter

Making a choice about why this moment is important to you helps us discover tons about your character. We often get a bit of history and emotion all rolled into one.

You may have done an exercise at The FA before where you start each line with "This is important to me because..." it's a way of "and"ing that helps you discover why your character cares about what's happening. And caring in scenes makes it easier to dig in and discover more.

"I'm just so touched that you would want me to come to your work do. I must be really special"
"Coming here makes me feel like I've finally made it. I'm not a loser"
"This is a great chance for me to prove what a great partner I am to you, I won't let you down!"

"And" Is Really Just Making Choices

"And" really boils down to making choices about the scene. Your look, the connection, how it makes you feel, why its important, these will all come down to you listening, accepting, and then choosing what that means for you.

So, whatever way you decide to add information, the important thing is that you are adding. It doesn't have to be a physical object or action, but it does have help us learn and discover more about your characters and the scene.