What do you do when your audience denies the scene?

[u/Admirable-Ad7059]

I frequently perform a narrative improv in front of nontraditional improv audiences - basically folks of all ages (including kids) who have never stepped foot in an improv show. Recently as I'm in the middle of a ridiculous bit everyone's enjoying a kid keeps piling up "that can't happen." Thankfully kid's parent was on it because I was at a loss at how to handle the audience denying a scene when I know how I'd handle it if it was a scene partner. Has this happened to you?

[u/throwaway_ay_ay_ay99]

This is just like any heckle really, your team should align on how to handle them. I’m partial to a good “shhhhh” towards the guest. Some teams ignore (can be ok in some circumstances). Ideally your heckler learns the way to behave and still has a good time, but ya know, depends on their vibe and reasons for heckling.

[u/Admirable-Ad7059 → u/throwaway_ay_ay_ay99]

Often it's a kid who just wants to pull focus because they're 8

[u/throwaway_ay_ay_ay99 → u/Admirable-Ad7059]

Yeah then just a good “shhh” is my preference. If mom and dad are on it, then I might cheat out and offer up a “thanks mom/dad” to whomever is working on getting the kid to stop.

[u/erikpeders]

K*ll them. Nobody ruins a good bit other than me.

[u/dembonezz → u/erikpeders]

Ah, I haven't seen a good murderprov show in ages.

[u/erikpeders → u/dembonezz]

It's a lost form.

[u/remy_porter → u/erikpeders]

Once Harold teams stopped human sacrifice during the group games, they basically had no other natural predators and just reproduced uncontrolled. We need to reintroduce their natural predators: standups, aspiring local TV news anchors, and wolves.

[u/VonOverkill]

Ask them what really happened. If they answer, perform it, and you'll be heroes.

[u/dptraynor → u/[deleted]]

Billy: It feels so good to be reunited with my famous sword, Monger!

Betty: Monger? The sword that won the battle of Chezzar-dur? The cheese-blade, forged in parmesan?

Audience Kid Joey: That can't happen!

Billy (to Betty): You know, a lot of people told me that a blade made of cheese would never cut steel.

Betty (to Billy): Well it sounds like they've never smelled a particularly strong cheese!

[u/Acceptable_Mountain5]

You can either ignore them, call them out, or find a way to use it without encouraging them to do more. The first two are what most people would do, but finding a way to use it in context is much more fun and rewarding for you and the audience, and doesn’t grind the scene to a halt.

[u/BUSean]

Ignore them

[u/SpeakeasyImprov]

Take a beat, let the audience have their laugh at the kid, and move on.

[u/chrispy_t]

Ignore them is prob the best advice but personally I’d use it as a chance to ground the scene or take a pause. It acknowledges the silly premise and allows you to hit it again with more believable context.

[u/CatFlat1089]

I would just stop for a second and repeat it.

[u/Euphoric_General_480]

Anytime I hear feedback from the audience, I always respond as though I heard the voice of some divine being.

"God, is that you? "

"Shush! Not today Satan, I'm doing improv!"