Questions at the top of a scene are an advanced move, and if you're still building your skills, they can stall your scene before it gets going. In this episode I break down why questions are tricky at the top, what makes a good question versus a bad one in improv, and how assuming shared history with your scene partner gets things moving faster.

I also talk about something that tripped me up early on: the weirdness of making assumptions about another person's character. If that feels uncomfortable to you, especially if you're someone whose brain flags assumptions as unfair, that makes sense. I get into why and how the pivot that comes from those assumptions can actually become the fun part.

Two exercises in this one. A partner drill using "you look / you seem / you feel" to practise adding information without questions, and a solo version using a one-sided phone call format to train your assumed knowledge muscle.

This is part of a series on the top of the scene, initiations, and base reality.

Resources and downloads: https://improvupdate.com

Newsletter: https://improvupdate.com/newsletter

YouTube version of this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNl6231OS5Q

Chapters

00:00 Why questions are risky at the top of a scene

00:52 When you can break the "no questions" rule

01:52 Why questions are even harder at the top

03:22 Assume shared knowledge instead

04:22 Why assuming things might feel weird (and that's okay)

06:28 Partner exercise: You look / You seem / You feel

08:08 Solo exercise: One-sided phone call

09:14 Wrap up

Downloadable content

Download the Free Post-Show Reflection Guide: Sent to your inbox when you subscribe to either newsletter (and added to the footer to each message if you're already subscribed).

Get a booklet with six exercises to help you get reps in challenging scenes called "Exercises to Ruin You"

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This podcast was created, written, and is hosted by Jen deHaan. You can find her bio here.

This episode was and edited and produced by StereoForest.com.

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