An improv post - The Quest group game
Last year I was lucky enough to be invited to do the Gator 600/performance class at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade. I don’t know how that happened (I think a little birdy said a little something to a certain someone, but he flat-out denies it). It was one of the best classes I’ve ever taken and it changed the way I played. I wish Ryan Karels and Neil Casey would teach more than they do, dammit!
One of the many great things about The Gator (the “Krompf” form as taught by Ryan and Neil) is a group game called The Quest.
How is it that no one knows about this game? It is frigging excellent!
First off, I should say that group games are a complete mystery to me. Basically, I had a crash-course in them with my 301 class and we touched on them in one of the eight 401 sessions I had, but other than that I’ve basically been winging it ever since. Gavin Speiller used to teach a Group Game 501/ASH which I really wanted to do, but it doesn’t seem like he does those anymore and, other than that, it seems like group games are not really a focus at the UCB (might be a good elective for someone to teach… hint, hint). So, when we set out to learn The Quest in the Gator class, I was excited!
The Quest is an improv take on Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey - If you haven’t read it yet I highly recommend his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces.
It is pretty plot-driven which a lot of improvisers worry about, but when it’s done right it is magic. It is a great game to play when a character needs to do something very important - i.e. save someone, find something, get home, etc. There are 7 steps to the game:
1. The call to adventure and refusal of the call. For example Robin is captured by the Joker and needs to be freed but Batman is super-tired from all the partying he did last night.
2. Crossing the threshold into the belly of the whale. Using the batman/robin example, maybe Batman overdoes it with the hair-of-the-dog remedy to pull himself together and heads off to find Robin albeit a little drunk. He now has a fun character game and everyone is cued in to how to play with him (other “party-Batman” specifics, etc.)
3. Trials/battles/puzzles/guards/centries. All devices to keep the hero away from the journey. Based on the circumstances and his/her character game the other players can have fun trying to distract the hero from the quest.
4. Meeting with the Goddess/Ideal. This is the where the players have a chance to label exactly what the Hero’s qualities are and to foreshadow the ending.
5. Meeting with the Temptress. A conflict/distraction that would really take the hero off the journey. It’s also a great place to hear/see the hero’s philosophy.
6. The Meeting with the ultimate being/thing. Where you overcome the battle. The most famous example I can cite here is when Luke faces Darth Vader/the Emperor.
7. The journey home. A time to see a little bit of life back to normal now that all is happy and complete. To use another Star Wars reference, the awards ceremony and the Ewok party represent this step.
I know written out like this it must seem insane. I am absolutely NOT an authority on it and it’s highly probable that I’ve misrepresented it so I welcome input from the other Gators or the Krompf team themselves, primarily, because we should be talking about it! The Quest is a fantastic group game and there have been many times on stage where I’ve felt it would be the best game to initiate - but I can’t because absolutely no one knows about it. Except, of course, my fellow Gators and I haven’t played with any of them since earlier this year. Also, for it to work, everyone on stage needs to know how to do it otherwise it will end up a total cluster-fuck.
Is there anything to be done about this? Can anyone (Ryan? Neil?) bring this into the main improv vernacular at the UCB? Is there a reason it’s not taught? Are there other group game structures akin to this that we should also be talking about? If so, what are they? Who are the best group-game players/teams/teachers out there right now?
Regardless, The Quest rules.
Maybe I’ll just start a team that does the quest as an entire form…
