Improvisation acting (improv) is a great way for anyone to get a sense of acting. It’s a perfect starting point, and a lot of the actors we know and love have experience doing it. It’s a cornerstone for any actor’s career. In fact, many casting calls require it or at least prefer it. “Improv Training Strongly Desired” are four words every actor is sure to have seen a handful of times during their career. And any actor worth their weight in salt has a few improv tricks up their sleeve!
In fact, you don’t even have to be an actor to reap the benefits of improv! It’s such a good skill to have when you need to make do in social situations or make a sudden attitude adjustment.
If you don’t know anything about improv, or if I can impart just one nugget of advice, let me leave you with this: the key to good improv is to simply agree! You must be able to go with the flow and build from there, accepting what is thrown at you, because by agreeing, that’s your ammunition to throw something back, therefore creating dialogue – and being quick on your feet! Just like the legendary Tom Hanks did here.
We all know Tom from “The Green Mile,” “Cast Away,” and “Sleepless in Seattle” to name only a few of the movies from his long-standing career. Tom has won Lifetime Achievement Awards, Academy Awards, and People’s Choice Awards – this man knows the art of acting. So when he recently performed in a charitable theatre production of Shakespeare’s famous “Henry IV,” the audience knew they were in for a treat. But they didn’t realize they’d get an extra-special, off-the-cuff performance that would bring the house down! It’s this performance that just goes to show it takes more than Hollywood’s smoke and mirrors to create an outstanding actor.
Running for 24 performances with 2,000 tickets reserved for active and retired members of the military, Tom’s performance is heightened with the advent of a medical emergency. In the middle of the show, a member of the audience suddenly fell ill and had to immediately be taken out of the auditorium. While everyone’s attention was focused on the incident, Tom rolled up his sleeves and jumped into action – in character! Summoning some fantastic improv skills, Tom held the audience’s attention for five minutes, dropping hilarious jokes and inviting someone on stage! His quick thinking saved the show and stands as a testament to his incredible talent as a gifted actor.
Click below to watch the whole scene go down!
