"One of the best lessons I’ve learned on stage is that the moment you stop apologizing for your character, you unlock a whole new level of fun for yourself and for your scene partner as you unpack the character together.
This really clicked during a workshop with Aman Adumer titled "8 Lines to a Perfect Scene" (a framework for pulling premise from an opener). LINE #3: After your scene partner accuses you of doing something weird, pretend like you didn't hear them and double down on the weird thing/behavior.
Also, it doesn't even have to be that strange you just have to be accused of being weird. Say you’re in a scene where you're making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and your scene partner calls you out for your the sheer number of steps you’re taking for a simple sandwich. Early in my improv journey, my brain would start turning: "A normal person would try explain this away or tell just brush this off. I need to justify this so I come off as grounded & realistic"
Instead of trying to go back to normal, take this accusation of being weird with unshakeable conviction.
You don't make excuses or try to sound reasonable. You treat your process as standard protocol, and react as if they're the weird one for rushing the standard sandwich making process. Treat it with the exact same conviction you’d have if someone accused you of being strange for drinking water or breathing air. "Of course I have a 19 step prep phase. Do you just slap jelly on bread like a wild animal?"
When you double down and own the "weirdness" you'll find it easier to imagine the reality that your character exists in.
You aren't playing a crazy person trying to justify madness. You’re reacting as normally as you would in real life, but with a unique, hyper focused point of view. Instead of dodging accusations you should embrace them as gifts to invent your own special character."
