Solastalgia in Improv brings eco-emotions into improv
Attendees got to connect with each other in various improv activities
One of the activities attendees participated in was "freeze frames." (Yohani Weheragama)
An improv event hosted by Solastalgia, a youth-led community initiative, took place on July 12 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the Moberly Arts and Cultural Centre soccer fields in Vancouver.
The organization is centered around events that aim to provide a safe space to address feelings of eco-anxiety.
“We felt the need, in community, to have spaces where you can safely talk about this,” says Sayemin Naheen, a co-founder of Solastalgia.
The goal of the event was to create a space to talk about nature in a more playful way, since Naheen finds “there’s not many events that combine playfulness, improv, [and] creativity with eco-emotions,” adding that “there is a natural tendency to focus on the more depressing side.”
The event was led by three improvisers who were chosen for aligning with the organization’s values and their ability to create a safe space for a diverse group of people.
Following a land acknowledgement, attendees performed various improv activities led by the performers. The first activity was called “zip, zap, reusable cup,” where one person would clap, then slide their hand over to the next person while making eye contact and saying “zip.” They would repeat this similarly with “zap,” and so on, until everyone was warmed up.
Next, they played the game “seven things,” where one attendee would ask the next, “What are seven things that …?” with any creative prompt. The game emphasized saying seven things without worrying about accuracy or correcting mistakes, thus prompting a mix of realistic and comedic, nonsensical answers.
Afterwards, attendees played a game where they walked like a character. They were given scenarios, such as having to walk through quicksand or pretending to be a leaf and moving or walking accordingly.
Other activities included a “follow-the-action” game, where someone would start an expressive gesture and send it around the circle as a chain. There were many giggles as people came up with dramatic movements.
Another activity was “little Earth,” where an invisible Earth was cupped in the starter’s hands and then passed around. A more chaotic element was added when other invisible items were passed around, such as a giant crocodile and an exploding brain.
The final activity was a game of “freeze frames,” where everyone was split into groups and given an environmentally themed prompt. The group would then perform four “freeze frames” for the other attendees, who had to accurately guess what the prompt was.
The event ended with a longform set acted out by the three facilitating improvisers. With various cut scenes, returns to past moments, and notable improv characters like “Stinky Pete,” attendees were focused on the impromptu play.
Attendee Gabrielle Cote says the event was “stress relieving.” As fun as the event was, she says the highlight of the evening was “watching the professionals.”
“I enjoyed acting and being weird, but watching them, it was so inspiring because I really couldn’t imagine myself doing that so fast,” she says.
