01/01/2021
THE SPOLIN SESSIONS
The presentation of the commentary of Viola Spolin. Direct transcript quotations from master classes given by the 'godmother of improvisational theater’. This is Viola’s spoken word, raw spontaneous communication, that exemplify both her process and philosophy.
posted December 2020
March 1977
VS: “I have found a book called LATERAL THINKING which I had not read before but which clearly defines why I’ve always said, ‘off the subject’, and why I’ve said that, ‘we’re coming in from a different way’…It’s lateral thinking, a most astonishing thing. Oh for God’s sake, he’s saying, what? I know, about the mind thing…that’s called, security. If you go for security, nothing will happen. You might be comfortable. That’s all. You get staler and staler and duller and duller as your security grows. In crisis and in imbalance that’s when we are open. Allow something new to happen.
“In Points and Reminders (in the book) people want to go back to old frames of references. They won’t listen. That’s why DJS (player) was interesting to me. I’m sorry he left. He couldn’t understand and I couldn’t understand how to get it to him… Old frames of reference are very comfortable. Opening students is very uncomfortable.
“KSS (player) is very comfortable…in play.. OK. And some aren’t sure of what’s happening and some are getting some recognition of what is going on. I’ve hollered a bit, because you aren’t getting it. We know why the games work. We know their value. Sure they produce nice theater and help the kids in school. But there’s always that question mark. I have it and then it’s gone.
“So, my dear people, I read this book. Here’s a man – a physicist, a mathematician, Rhodes Scholar. This is just one little quote:”
‘…The play process can turn up intricate patterns…The chance process of play
provide combinations that they would never have thought of otherwise.
Even if the usefulness of play were accepted, very few people would find
themselves able to play. It is difficult to do something deliberately and yet not be
deliberate. It is difficult to set off in a direction towards the unknown.’
“Ain’t that true. Ain’t that true.
“I’ve indexed it somewhat – Explore and Heighten (in the book) – things that are related to the work. Here – Imagination! I used imagination in the early manuscript. Then stopped using it…A teacher asked why I felt that way about imagination. I feelmit’s limited – in the head. Now here again (book in hand) … This is a man in a totally different field:”
‘The great usefulness of play as the other source of human experience,
the originality, figures and relationships that arrive by chance during the
process of play… Chance had no limits, but imagination does.’
“I wanted to kiss this man. Where is he? His name is De Bono… Edward De Bono. I’d like you to read it.”
more at phillipspolin.com
