The Encyclopedia of Interactive Performance

Interacting is a paradox. You need to assume control and you need to release it.

Most players have a bias when it comes to control. Some are great at taking control, but don’t like giving it up. Others enjoy releasing control, but are uncomfortable when they have to assume it. There’s nothing wrong with having a bias. Knowing where your strength lies shows you the opposite side that can become stronger.

Releasing control

In real-life we’re responsible for what we say and do. Self-control keeps us out of trouble. That’s useful in real life, but not so helpful when it’s time to play. If you’re going to be spontaneous, access inspiration, or be a good co-creator, you need to release control.

Releasing the control of your ego

At the most fundamental level, you need to let go of your ego. It can be a blow to your self-esteem when you fail. But if you’re going to grow, you have to be OK with making mistakes. Release the attachment to success while continuing to pursue it. Embracing failure while pursuing excellence requires a release of the ego.

Releasing control over your impulses

To be spontaneously responsive you need to act on your impulses. Slow and deliberate thinking has its place, but you also need to sense impulses and act on them. When thinking inhibits action, release control over your impulses.

Attack series – This is a useful exercise to help you release control over your impulses. It’s an intense challenge that requires you to go before you know. A word of warning: When releasing control over your impulses, don’t be unsafe to yourself, others, or the environment.

Releasing control over your language

It’s challenging to release control over the words you speak. In real life, words reflect who you are. When you’re playing, it’s a different story. If you improvise the line, “Women shouldn’t hold political office because they’re too emotional,” that’s a reflection of the character you’re playing, not of you. It’s a valuable skill to speak before you know what you’re going to say. Here are some ways to release control over your language.

Eye contact – When you feel yourself trying to think of what to say, hold eye contact. When speaking while looking into someone’s eyes, it’s more difficult to control what you say.

Ping pong – Another way to release control over your language is to pick up your cues. Start speaking as soon as the other player stops. When you don’t give yourself time to think, unpremeditated language arises.

Walk and chew gum – Instead of alternating between speaking and doing, do both at the same time. When engaged in a physical activity, surprising thoughts can tumble out of your mouth.

Releasing control over your character

You are not your character. You don’t need to keep your character safe and protected. It’s all make believe anyway. Release control over what happens to your character.

Be vulnerable – Let things affect your character without becoming defensive. Do things that put your character at risk. Let go and allow your character to be vulnerable.

Take the hit – Let your character be emotionally changed by things that happen. Remaining unaffected is maintaining control.

Play for the loss – Your character doesn’t always need to win. Allow your character to lose while still looking like you’re trying to win.

Releasing control over the story

Scenes are built on given circumstances. Until the context is established by defined offers, it’s only ideas inside your head. When others contradict your ideas with defined offers, release control.

Assume they’re right – It’s easy to assume that you know the best way for a story to go. When someone takes things in a different direction, assume they’re right.

Accept – When others establish a context that’s not what you had in mind, accept it. Behave as though it’s true. It doesn’t matter if you had a different idea, release control.

Follow – When someone wants your character to do something, don’t resist or block. It doesn’t matter if you don’t like the idea, have a different idea, or can’t see where it’s leading. Go along with the idea. To be clear, it's fine to resist and block at other times. But when you're focused on the release of control, it’s better to accept and follow.

Be curious – If you assume others are taking things in the wrong direction, you blind yourself to the possibilities of where they’re headed. Be curious when things go down unexpected paths and see where they lead you.

Let the story play you – If you need to know where things are going before you can play, that’s a control issue. Practice moving forward without needing to know where a story is going.

If all this release makes you uncomfortable, consider the benefits. When you release control, you’re more spontaneous, more creative, and a better collaborator. It may be a challenge to let go, but it’s a worthwhile one, to be sure.

Assuming control

Sometimes, releasing control is easy, but assuming control is hard. What if you overpower someone else’s idea? What if your idea isn’t good enough? What if you don’t have any idea at all? The fact is, there are times when you need to take control. It’s a part of establishing context and it’s how you set spects at ease when they’re nervous. Here are some ways to develop your ability to be in the driver’s seat.

Play strong – Tentative offers don’t help anyone. When you have an idea act on it in a decisive way. Don’t second-guess yourself. Don’t ask for permission. Take the initiative with confidence.

Steamroll – During training, practice charging ahead without concern for others. It’s not the way to play in performance, but getting comfortable with steamrolling makes it easier for you to assume control when you need to.

Start scenes – Practice putting yourself on the line. Be the one responsible for setting up the premise. Spects need clarity in order to play. Develop your ability to set things up for them.

If it’s hard to assume control, practice it as a skill. When you have the ability to take control, you become a better collaborator.

As is true with many interactive skills, you need to master both the yin and the yang. Control issues are about releasing and assuming control. You need the ability to do both.