Siddharth: All you can do is embrace it and move on
A conversation with Improv Comedy Bangalore sophomore player Siddharth Venkatesh
Improv is a neverending process. It’s vital to listen not only to the voice of a guru who has been teaching for 30 years, but also up-and-coming students with their own take what improv is to them. Siddharth Venkatesh in Bangalore India started since January 2019, and now has become omnipresent in global online improv. Siddharth talks about his natural improv skills, moving on from a tough first show debut and moments of self-doubt, and absorbing as much as he can.
Aree Witoelar: You refer to yourself as a newcomer to improv, yet we will never know by watching. The “Ten Minutes” sets, you look like a veteran out there, patiently responding to the scene without having to prove yourself. Patience seems to be a strength of yours. What do you find natural to you when it comes to improv?
Siddharth Venkatesh: Aree you are being too kind.
One of the reasons I am doing these scenes with various experienced improvisers like, Jay [Sukow], yourself, Jon [Nguyen], Emma [Bird] is to learn by doing, push myself out of my comfort zone. And also, if not now then when?
We have talked about this a bit before, I can play low status characters comfortably maybe because that’s how I am. Also Yes Anding, supporting the scene partner, came pretty naturally. I am actually an empathetic listener, and that bodes well for me most of the time. But I need to constantly fight the urge to react immediately to a dialogue. I guess that comes off as being patient.
AW: Natural improvisers are comfortable playing low status, because it shows empathy and listening. I really enjoyed playing a scene with you [Aree & Siddharth] where you were a powerful CEO but played low status so well. But tell us more about the urge. For many new improvisers, this urge causes people to panic or to assert control and stop listening. How do you fight it?
SV: The reason I feel I need to react at the earliest, is my awkwardness with the silence and because of that I get into my head and what the audience is thinking and…... But, as I do more Improv, I realise I am getting comfortable with the awkwardness and the silence as well. One simple exercise that helped me is to take pauses between sentences or before reacting, i.e counting 1 - 2 - 3, before responding to a dialogue or an offer. It is very tough to do and feels uncomfortable initially. But once you get the hang of it, I guess it internalizes. So, now you know that if I look very patient in the scene what's actually going on in my head.
AW: I wouldn't have guessed that! It looked like you were just enjoying the moment… Have you always enjoyed every moment since you started improv? Has it been a steady progression, or have you had bumps along the way?
SV: I have been learning Improv since Jan or Feb 2019 and have enjoyed it for the most part. And no it has not been a steady progression. There have been moments of intense self doubt and fear of screwing up on stage. In fact, when I had the graduation show of the 10-week Improv workshop, it was one of the worst days of my Improv life. I totally froze, did not take initiatives and literally retreated to the back of the stage.
AW: That's tough to hear about the graduation show! What did you say to yourself to pick yourself up and keep going?
SV: Since it was the first time, I was feeling down for a few days or so. Despite this, I hung in there because I really liked Improv. And then when the next show or opportunity came by, I went for it despite having a million reasons in my mind not to. And that show went slightly better.
Now in hindsight, I really relate to what Jay Sukow said about not spending much time analyzing the show, because you can't change it. All you can do is embrace it and move on.
“I was feeling down for a few days or so... Now in hindsight, I really relate to what Jay Sukow said about not spending much time analyzing the show, because you can’t change it. All you can do is embrace it and move on.”
AW: Going back to self-doubt. If you don’t mind sharing, I think everyone can relate to it. Every improviser has a little self-doubt; no one goes from that into being ultra-confident, but just over time it becomes a less crippling effect. What’s your self-doubt at this stage of your journey? Does it creep up during a scene, like what should I do, did I make the right choice?
SV: I think initially it was about am I funny enough to make the audience laugh. And when I used to not get a desired reaction from the audience, I would be extremely self conscious and try to be more funny.
But currently I think I have a self doubt about the characters I create. Are they too similar to the last time around? And you are right, the self doubts are slightly more nuanced now. For example: am I making the right choice, how do I advance the scene, am I endowing my scene partner with the right offers etc; And generally they creep up in the scene when I am in my head. So in case this happens, I try to connect with my scene partner or repeat the last line or a keyword that was said.
I have not mastered all these tips yet and I am definitely a work in progress. But, I am beginning to like and appreciate the “craft” side of Improv.
AW: There’s a lot of “craft” side available online. You consume improv online by the digital gallons.
SV: Oh yes! The zoom improv has been a boon in the lockdown. It has helped me connect with Improvisors across the globe, attend workshops and discuss Improv concepts, see many well produced and brilliant shows and also participate in some of them.
It has made me feel a part of the global improv community. Where everyone encourages and roots for the other, has their backs and even promotes them.
AW: Do you find differences in online improv from other parts of the world to that in India?
One thing I definitely have appreciated is the near professional attitude to Improv worldwide in treating it as a craft, honing the skills etc. It is especially good for the Indian Improv community as Improv in India is still nascent and until recently was restricted to watching Whose Line is it Anyway? Also, the Improv talent in India has got exposure across the world, we have folks participating in jams, shows, maestros, PPT karaoke’s and what not.
AW: It benefits the larger Indian community, yes. But what about your personal self? Do you find your view of improv changes in any way from this exposure?
SV: Absolutely, there are aspects I learn from every scene I watch or take part in. The biggest learning experience I had was a couple of days back where I audited a workshop session by Will Hines for ImprovMKE. And I think that is probably the most I have learnt in any workshop.
AW: Which one tip from that workshop sticks with you the most?
SV: When the bigwigs share some tips, it seems so simple yet profound. One of the tips that Will shared was to add the why to a scene. The internal reason is critical to good improv and with emotions added, it makes the scene relatable. For example, if I hoard pizza boxes, the internal reason can be maybe I want to create a world record. Now, that is a backstory right there.
AW: And now you’re jamming with everyone in the world. Do you have to expend a little extra mental energy to adjust to different play arenas?
SV: I have mainly attended Zigzag International and the Nursery Theatre jams, Moscow Improv Club workshops, to name a few. I have attended jams on Shortform, Theatresports, Longform, Two-prov, Soundscapes etc. I attend every jam with an open mind and to absorb as much as possible.
Having said that some Shortform and Longform styles require you to be on the top of your game in terms of being hyper alert, listening intently and then moving the scene forward. I love these experiences, because I also get to watch some really talented and experienced Improvisers tackle some aspects of the scene that I struggle with and I can learn these nuances.
AW: Is there a specific example of moves that make you go "Oh! That's one idea I can use (for this one area I'm struggling with)"
SV: So in my scene with Jon, at a certain point he goes away to get a print out or something. And that's such a great offer to advance the scene. So when I am by myself, I make a call to my wife at that moment. And the story takes a twist.
Also, in your recent scene with Jon, where he was a customer service guy who fixes computer issues. You say "am I a good father". That was awesome, because you make it about the relationship and advice and not about the transaction of repairing the computer.
One more, in the show “The Life of David Escobedo” — Laxmi does an amazing visual storytelling bit, where she narrates how the industries in the town came up. And that was another wow moment where I realized that even object theatre work could be done in Improv especially in the online version.
AW: There are so many inspirations out there.
SV: I also definitely want to add that I have also been jamming with the talented folk in India particularly at ICB. We have had so many topics covered right from soundscapes, physicality, Improvised Writing, Musical Improv, Rap, Poetry etc; it is just unbelievable. And that the ICB jam facilitators are a crazy talented bunch.
AW: For sure. The world is learning in a hurry about the wealth of talent in India. And that includes you, Siddharth.
References
- Improv Comedy Bangalore
- Jay Sukow: Ten Minutes with Siddharth Venkatesh
- Aree Witoelar Improv: Aree & Siddharth — The CEO and The Tea Boy
- Jon Nguyen Improviser: Ten Minutes with Siddharth
- Liverpool Comedy Improv: Emma & Siddharth: Make A Scene