Improv Nonsense

I see two common but contradictory problems with new groups:

1) They don’t react at all to anything, they’re just looking at each other or maybe not even looking at each other.

Improviser 1: When we hold up the bank, grab the gun with your feet.
Improviser 2: (nothing for a long time) Okay.

2) They are blindly and over-enthusiastically reacting to everything so much that they sound kinda dumb.

Improviser 1: When we hold up the bank, grab the gun with your feet.
Improviser 2: Awesome! I have fingers for toes!

Or whatever. And by trying to fix one of those problems, they create the other.

Maybe this? Maybe we need to hear an explicit yes right away always, but then you can wait and consider and feel things before you and.

Improviser 1: When we hold up the bank, grab the gun with your feet.
Improviser 2: Yes, got it. (pause, feels it out) You know, we’re trying too hard to be a really cool gang of thieves.

Does that matter? I don’t know. That quick yes buys you time, I’m sure of that.

I have an insanely long post coming so I’m writing this just to prove to myself that I can write a short one.