1. “Status” (pp. 41-52) in Impro (1979)
By Keith Johnstone
Demo Presentation:
Jason M. Ward
Emrah Atasoy
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2. A 300-word Summary 1/4
This excerpt is from Impro a book about acting by the pioneer of improvisational theatre, Keith Johnstone. The book goes beyond the skills needed for performance and applies to every interaction in our daily life. Johnstone believes that in all creatures, from insects to people, status determines communication. The use of high and low status is a biological survival mechanism to avoid conflict in hostile situations but recognizing its persistence in everyday seemingly friendly interactions provides insight into how we protect and project ourselves and how much of this is determined by our social environment…
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3. A 300-word Summary 2/4
Johnstone outlines some of the subtle ways in which we manipulate status through eye contact, movement, stillness, sounds and language and describes a few of the games his acting students play to learn how to become more aware of status and control it in social situations. His students observe that after they learned to recognize status they became more conscious of how their bodies were constantly communicating non-verbally and learned how to use this for their advantage in both professional and personal life…
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4. A 300-word Summary 3/4
Johnstone uses status games as a way for his students to learn how to create more realistic scenarios because they no longer need to ‘act’ if their performances are grounded in genuine status exchanges. Some of these exercises include trying both high and low status responses to walking into the wrong room, getting fired, or facing a conflict over an opened letter. To illustrate that it is not the words that are communicated but rather how the actors convey them, these scenes are also acted out with noises instead of words. Johnstone also states that communicative interactions take place even when there is only one actor on the stage if the performer plays high or low status to his or her surroundings.
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5. 1. How important do you think that eye contact is and why?
It is very important for asserting high status but should be used cautiously to avoid appearing confrontational. Also, low status dropped eyes can sometimes be even more effective for manipulating the emotions of others (especially for women!). Eye contact is an integral part of our biological fight or flight reflex; we are looking for threats and showing that we are ready to respond if they come. If you have seen cats threatening each other without actually fighting, much of the hostility involves holding a stare and the loser is the first to back off and look away.
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6. 2. What might be some good ways to perform high status if you were given an acting role playing a mafia leader?
As Brando illustrated in the title role of The Godfather you do not need to shout and gesture aggressively to get people to fear and respect you. For his performance in this role, he was very still, moved slowly, maintained steely eye contact and spoke in a whisper so that those in his presence had to lower their heads submissively to hear him. When we want someone to know that we like them, we make things easier for them by subconsciously mimicking their body language, bobbing our heads in agreement and moving our eyes and facial muscles to express animated friendly interest. If you want them to fear you instead, then don’t move a muscle and stare.
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7. 3. How might this chapter on status help you with Speech and Communication?
Status is communication and it makes public speaking much easier when you start to see all interactions from the outside. When you become more self-aware and conscious of how your emotions and opinion of yourself are being constantly manipulated through subtle status exchanges, you realise that everything is a big game but now that you know it, you know how to win sometimes too. I chose this reading because I read it over twenty years ago when I first started teaching part time and was attending a theatre course. I was very nervous, shy and lacked self-esteem and this book gave me more confidence in my acting and in my teaching. Basically, I realised that they were both the same because both were about recognizing on-going status games in myself and others.
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8. MCQ 1 How does Johnstone interpret the use of status, high or low?
It is useful to look down on other people.
It is necessary to avoid clashes as part of a survival mechanism.
It brings prestige to everyone.
It is irrelevant if you cannot act
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9. MCQ 1 How does Johnstone interpret the use of status, high or low?
It is useful to look down on other people.
It is necessary to avoid clashes as part of a survival mechanism.
It brings prestige to everyone.
It is irrelevant if you cannot act
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10. MCQ 2
Which one is not listed as a means of manipulating status according to Johnstone?
Stillness
Eye contact
Money
Movement
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11. MCQ 2
Which one is not listed as a means of manipulating status according to Johnstone?
Stillness
Eye contact
Money
Movement
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12. MCQ 3 What is the function of status games?
For creating realistic performances
For killing time while waiting for the other actors
For poking fun at people who show off too much
For entertaining the actors’ children
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13. MCQ 3 What is the function of status games?
For creating realistic performances
For killing time while waiting for the other actors
For poking fun at people who show off too much
For entertaining the actors’ children
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14. An example to illustrate one of the ideas in the reading
Keith Johnstone discusses his use of the word “Status” in the context of performance:
Choose one of the following questions and try find the answer as we watch the short video clip:
What makes real human behaviour on the stage and why?
What is our inner-voice usually doing?
Why did Johnstone decide to call his discovery ‘status’?
What is Johnstone’s definition of status?
What is Johnstone’s advice to teachers of teenage students?
I will play the clip twice.
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15. Who did what? Jason did the summary and discussion questions
Emrah did the multiple-choice quiz and the example
We both worked on the PowerPoint
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16. Thank you!
Any Questions?
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