Viewpoint: Beat the winter blues with improv

By Ruth Tecle

As the days grow shorter, a number of us in Ottawa will soon return to a familiar state known as the “blanket burrito.” For our kind, it’s only a matter of time before we’re all wrapped up and nuzzled safely indoors with our trusty space heaters, wondering why we’ve chosen to live in what feels like the coldest place on Earth.

September’s temperate weather has only served as a tease when you know what lies ahead: bitter, unrelenting winds, cruel bus delays that leave you shivering with frozen digits, and routinely waking up with an urge to call in sick.

That’s how Seasonal Affective Disorder takes hold.

While some do fall and winter well by perusing farmer’s markets and going on hikes, there are others who slip into depressive states as the sun sets a bit earlier each day.

So, what’s a SAD person to do?

One effective way to combat the impulse to retreat is to try improv — the art of performing unscripted scenes.

Improv is all about loosening up, something a lot of people in Ottawa should consider. Whether a buttoned up civil servant or a bundled up escapist, many residents of the capital could benefit from the pure joy of being silly.

I’ve felt my greatest winter joys inside the walls of improv studios. Depressive states tend to bury the need for social interaction, but participating in improv has a funny way of recharging the will to engage. Nowhere else can a room full of awkward strangers find comfort in each other by flapping around like a chicken or holding a conversation entirely in gibberish.

The Ottawa comedy scene is small but tight. The Improv Embassy on Rideau Street is one of a few theatres in the city that regularly offer classes. For those with no experience, beginner courses are available as an entryway to the more advanced curriculum. Workplace workshops are also offered for organizations interested in the team-building components of the art.

If you’re not sure what to expect, at every level of experience, class begins with a warm-up. It’s an acknowledgment that, no matter how seasoned, even the goofiest people still need to shed their inhibitions. The transformations that can take place are remarkable. I’ve witnessed the shyest of the bunch sing at the top of their lungs and brutish men perform tender scenes.

After all, improv isn’t always about getting a laugh.

It’s a common misconception that improv is only for comedians. Having a sense of humour helps, but the core of improv is being present, engaged and interactive. When players are paying attention to each other, accepting suggestions, and being loose enough to let scenes flow, the result is an unscripted experience that unfolds in real-time.

Much like a therapy session, participants are not only encouraged to “live in the moment,” but actually get the opportunity to do so. The safety of the classroom provides an opportunity to explore characters and emotion without judgment. With practice, the result of this combination is an undeniable sense of infinite possibilities.

With luck, one of these possibilities is escaping the confines of the “blanket burrito” — at least for a while.