Viola Spolin is known for fun and interesting improv games, but they also have a hidden meaning behind them that teaches a lesson about characterization, understanding, intuition, physicalization, spontaneity, audience, transformation. And from doing one of her improv games in class I have learned some things about
characterization and physicalization.
As we did the activity in class about forming your own space, it was necessary for you to make sure you visualized the space in your head and than applied to your surroundings, meaning you indirectly physcialized it.
As walked about our created space in the class, many other students (who were now in their own world, space, or universe) interfered with your surroundings, causing a rift to happen between your 'physical space', and as a normal person in your particular area, you would flinch, wince, and get worried for them if they collide with wall, walked on walked.
As this happened, I kind of felt that my understanding of the physical around me was getting more prominent, I understood the nooks and crooks of the area that I inhabited. This helped on the grander scale. That if on stage there is an area where something should be, and is still not there, than I would be more careful to maintain that area of the object and not collide with.
Next, when we now where able to interact with the people around us, it helped me understand my character. For example, i was near a tree taking pictures when I noticed a 'someone' near the water, as my characters reaction, I went near her, trying to save because I believed she was committing suicide. This not only helped me characterize my character to be able to understand it better but I made an inference about the lady i was saving, and made up a characterization on my head of her.
This gives a better understanding that when on stage and you have a conversation with another character, you learn what type of person you are playing, a mean one, nice one, perky one, or even the gloomy one. But another bonus point is that you have the chance to learn, or characterize the character you are talking to, is she my best friend, is he someone I like, or is she a random lady i am helping so she doesn't commit suicide.
This exercise that we did in class helped a lot on the grander scale, and Viola Spolin has many great techniques.
