Do Top Theatre Performers Adhere to the Script or Feel Free to Impromptu?

Disclaimer - I am not a top performer but I was in the chorus in high school. Unless the show states that it has improvisation, actors are expected to follow the script. After all, what should Juliet say if Romeo asked, “Juliet, are you at home”?

Each player’s response requires the previous player’s line. And at least with Shakespeare, there is the rhythm of the poetry. I will discuss this further later. While scripts are under development, the playwrite might change scenes for every show, gauging the audience reaction and analyzing the flow of the show. But in that case, it is even more important to follow the script.

Instances of Script Alteration

Sometimes actors do change the words. In Guy and Dolls, in high school, Adelaide’s comment, “You know what a slave driver Jimmy is,” was changed to a complaint about “Mr. G,” our director. And then there is the accidental/mistake change. Sometimes someone forgets a cue, doesn’t say their line, and then a good performer will work around it. And I heard an interview with a Shakespearean actor who needed gloves for a line in Henry V but couldn’t find them and had to go on stage. He made do with motorcycle gloves.

Later, another actor came on stage with the real gloves, and he answered in iambic pentameter, saying how he liked the gloves. Nothing goes right all the time, and good actors work around it anyway, but only when they have to.

Improvisation in Theatre

Some shows do have improvisation. One famous example is Harpo Marx’s story about the play Coconuts: during the performance, he asked one of the chorus girls if she wanted a bigger part in the play. She was skeptical, expecting a casting couch involvement, but all Harpo wanted was for her to run across the stage in the middle of a scene. She did, and Harpo ran after her, creating the “Harpo chases the woman” scene that is in almost all their movies.

Meanwhile, back on stage, in the middle of a scene, two people had just run across the stage, interrupting the scene. And Groucho, without missing a beat, turned to the audience and said, “The 8:15 is running late today.” After that, Harpo ran across the stage chasing a woman every night, and Groucho would ad-lib something different every time.

Adhering to the Script in Professional Performances

When my high school did “Room Service,” another play by the Marx Brothers, we followed the script. However, this does not mean that top performers never deviate from the script. In fact, it’s quite common and expected, especially in the sheet music world, where a good performer makes every performance unique.

Conclusion

In conclusion, no good performers stick to the script all the time. They work around mishaps and make every performance unique. The question remains, do top theatre performers ever feel tempted to alter the scene, dialogue, or lyrics? The answer is yes, but with the understanding that the script provides a solid foundation for the performance, and any changes should enhance, not detract from, the story.

Tagline: From following the script to ad-libbing the classics, experience the magic of live theatre.