From small seeds, great FIG trees grow
The story of how my own personal improv story from Beijing to Taipei resulted in the organic formation of Formosa Improv Group (FIG) 福爾摩沙即興組合. This piece tells the tale of how FIG grew from a collection of like-minded individuals to become a blossoming bilingual improv group now nearing its two year anniversary show on August 1st, 2020. This is a personal narrative as well as a community narrative. Thank you to those FIG members, alumni, workshop participants, and show attendees who have contributed the quotes which are sprinkled throughout this piece.
“The people at FIG work to make their craft appear to be seamless.” — FIG show regular, Sean
When I first moved to Taipei, there was no bilingual Mandarin/English improv group. I arrived having only one friend, Olof, a tall Swede who enjoys the time-stretch of awkward moments and is still very much an important part of my life to this day. It was improv that had first connected us, and it is often improv that brings us together, in one way or another. We met many years ago in Beijing at a free bilingual improv workshop run by Beijing Improv (BJI).
The first time I joined BJI’s bilingual improv community workshop in Beijing, I was astounded at the idea that improv was being facilitated in two languages so different from one another in a bar located between the Drum and Bell Tower on Beijing’s Central Axis. Surrounded by UNESCO world heritage sites, this dirty, dingy bar with personality (which unfortunately no longer exists) was a nexus to a world of imagination and adventure. Besides the improv itself, it was the community aspect of the workshop which really lit the match of inspiration inside of me. There were people from all over the city, from all different nations, and from all different ages who were joining this workshop. The thing that brought everyone together was the magnetic force of positivity that pulses through the veins of the spirit of improvisation.
“I think FIG is a fantastic model for how to bring different people of different cultures and backgrounds together to have fun and create good energy. It celebrates diversity but more so what brings us together as humans.” — FIG workshop participant Bridget Hamel
It was around 2007 when I first joined these workshops, and they really changed my life. Improv was something I had done during my college years in Indiana University with a group called, and prior to that time I often played improv games with my older brother, Bryan, ten years my senior, who was in an improv group during his college years. To me, improv was somewhat of a way of life and just part of growing up. Improv’s core value of “yes, and….” has always been a heartbeat that has pumped through my lifeline, driving me onwards in this exciting world of uncertainty. The group I was in during college, Full Frontal Comedy, was the group of people who would be my best friends throughout those four years. However, the only time improv and community rubbed shoulders with one another during college was when we were offered to perform at an event, a venue, or had our regular show. The community workshops in Beijing felt much different. They felt organic to me. They felt like something growing and connecting to me. They felt like a social event where strangers could become almost like family. I wanted this feeling when I arrived in Taipei. Because the group and the workshops weren’t there, however, I needed to accept this situation and build from the reality. I had to “say yes,” to the fact that there was no bilingual community workshop AND I would start to make one of my own.
“FIG is Taipei’s first multilingual, public/open improv group. Through workshops and performances, they work to both develop their own craft and engage the Taipei (and Taiwan and global) community in improvisation, as participants and as viewers.” — FIG alumni, Stan Seiden
The first place I decided to look when setting out on the Taipei improv journey was at the Polyglot Cafe gathering. As an extrovert and language enthusiast, I decided to join this event that focused on learning languages at dedicated language tables. At first I went to the event regularly with the purpose of meeting people and practicing Japanese, Chinese, and occasionally being the English language table leader. It was at this event that I met FIG’s current member and finance director, Miranda. Right away she was someone that I got along with and with whom I shared an instinctive sense of trust. She was also someone who obviously shared a passion for creating and maintaining a community. It occurred to me that Miranda would be an excellent person to take the risk of inviting to try her hand at improv with myself and Stan, another fellow American I knew from my BJI days who is somewhat of a mysterious nomad and at the time lived an on-again-off-again Taipei existence. Ever the elusive giant, Olof was meanwhile in “improv semi-retirement,” challenging himself in other pursuits, and so I decided to take the chance and have one of the first improv “practices” in Taipei….in my living room. It was just the three of us, and yet…there was a spark.
“FIG definitely gives out a vibe that performing art is not so far away from the people who sit under the stage. It encourages people to try new things, too.” — FIG show attendee, Lili Yeh
I continued going to the Polyglot Cafe during my initial time in Taipei, and Miranda and I continued to talk about and kindle the improv fire with other language enthusiasts. It seemed that this was the perfect type of group to light the improv fire with. Anyone who enjoys the feeling of learning a foreign language and throwing themselves into the unknown, knowing that they will come out better than when they started…this type of mentality is exactly the type of “yes,and…” thinking that lends itself to building trust and eventually a group mind ripe for improvisation.
“Jeffrey came to our show in Taichung and blew us away when he volunteered. Then we saw you guys in Taipei and there were like 40 of you.” — Skits and Giggle member, Taylor Sharp
We practiced and played games, outside of Maji Square nearby Yuanshan metro station, just in the spot of the former football stadium, side by side with groups of high school students practicing their dance moves. It was rough and pure, but it was fun, and we were growing. More people started to come to these makeshift “workshops,”: Oliver, Andrei, Diana, Carson, Riri, Summer, and William. The names continued to grow. We didn’t know what it was, but something was happening, and it was happening regularly. We were doing improv with each other just for the sake of doing something fun together. That summer, I would leave to travel with my wife for a month, and I didn’t know if the level of enthusiasm would continue or not, but I trusted the gods of improv and the winds of “yes and…” to take this makeshift group in the right direction.
“FIG makes a craft out of playfulness.” — FIG member, Isaac Myers
“How inclusive and how welcoming the group is! I feel comfortable, even as just a first-comer.” FIG workshop attendee, Shirley Li
When I returned from the summer of traveling, I realised it was absolutely the right decision to let the “group” find its own way and form as one. Letting go of control is a subtle art. It takes trust to let go of control, but the benefit to individual and group empowerment is well worth it. Things had started to move organically in a positive direction, and the inertia of the group was building. Now there was a new person who was helping to push the direction of this motley crew of improvisers: Michi. Self-dubbed “The Empress,” Michi quickly took on the mantle of being the “Godmother” of the group without a name. I like to say that she put the “LA” into the group, quickly lighting the fires to bring up topics dealing with marketing campaigns, possible sponsors, practice and show venues, t-shirts, etc. The group had grown to a core number of regularly returning improvisers with a taste of experience, and a hunger to perform. In addition to this core group, there were others who occasionally joined the fun as well. Workshops had moved on from Maji Square to alternating between Shuanglian and Da’an metro stations. We became too big for the metro practices and struck a deal with the bar “Oldie Goodie” to have weekly workshops for the community.
“Improv actually healed something deep down.” — FIG workshop participant and show attendee, Sabrina Morris
The members who were more devoted to performing made the suggestion that we expand to two nights a week. This suggestion was the chance to develop both a dedicated performance group, as well as a space for newcomers to the Taipei improv community. We settled on Mondays being open to anyone and everyone, and Thursdays just for the performance members to practice.
我把yes and的精神帶進生活與工作裡頭,不急著去反對別人的意見看法,而用不同的角度去思考工作、人際關係、溝通. I brought the spirit of “yes and” into my life and work, and I try not to quickly reject others’ ideas now. I’ll approach different situations in life from different angles, relationships, and communication styles.” — FIG workshop participant, David Tsai
Now all we needed was a performance….and a name. I specifically remember the conversation where our member, Andrei, suggested the name “FIG” as a name for the group. Formosa Improv Group: 佛爾摩莎即興組合。Those members who would be the original members of the group were all there, gathered at the Louisa coffee nearby the Da’an metro station, and that was the name that seemed to stick. Following settling on a name in the most democratic of fashions, we would submit designs for a group logo and vote on the one that received the most votes. By this time, Michi had coaxed Olof out of improv retirement and invited another performer, Larissa, to join the group. Different members submitted their designs for the first FIG logo. I even had my wife, Mayumi create a design. The one that we finally settled on was one created by Oliver (now living in Australia and carrying on with improv from time to time in the Land Down Under).
“The last show I was part of with FIG before I moved to Australia was my most memorable. Everyone was so kind and supportive to help me shine on stage.” — FIG alumni, Oliver Liu
My own personal goal for 2018 before FIG was even a group was to create a bilingual improv group that gave regular free workshops for the Taipei community each week, and get us on stage for one performance before the end of 2018. By December 2018, FIG performed not once, but 5 times. One of these performances was an improvised musical, as Michi had the gift of finding and enticing talent to join our team. We added the handsome Spanish guitarist with a camel’s eyelashes and the heart of a saint, Hugo. By the end of 2018, FIG was coming into its own as a group, and there were visiting improvisers from Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, and LA who were coming to join as they passed through Taipei. FIG applied for and joined its first improv festival in Manila in 2019 and appeared on stage with improvisers from all over the world. In August 2019, the group celebrated its one year anniversary and invited players from neighbouring Taichung 台中, Skits and Giggles as well as members from FIG’s first 6 week advanced improv class to join in the show. By this time, FIG had become more organised as a group, creating a board of directors, along with the group’s core values.
“The first time I went to an open workshop I remember I was so excited to play and just have fun without worrying about looking like a fool. Even though I had no clue what I was doing I was not afraid to jump in whenever I had the chance to participated. Before that first workshop it had been a long time since I had so much fun.” — FIG member Lizette Lefevre
After FIG’s one year anniversary, the group continued to change with some members leaving (Michi departed for the US, and Oliver for Australia). New faces have since joined with the arrival of Woody, Islah, and Sky. FIG ran another advanced course called FIG 大 and a combined show with the improv upstarts as they energised the stage with their fresh improv energy. With each new member’s induction, there is a hazing ritual on stage where the new member needs to dunk a dried fig into a cup of marmite and consume it on stage. The group has had retreats in the areas surrounding Taipei City and continues to grow this day, learning from one another. With each event, practice, or group experience, the group mind adds another memory as the group grows in maturity and professionalism.
“May FIG continue to encourage others how to explore respectful interactions based on genuine dynamics in a safe space!” — FIG alumni and godmother, Michi Fu
“Because we are bilingual and multicultural, we act as a bridge between Taiwan and other countries. Promoting values such as “yes, and”, “there are no mistakes” and “accepting failure” is valuable to our participants because it’s something that goes beyond improv, and is applicable to their lives.” — FIG member Diana Liu
As the group now nears its two year anniversary, it has weathered the COVID-19 storm, and FIG remains true to its core values of building improv bridges with improv communities from around the world. On August 1st, the group officially leaves its infancy to enter “toddlerhood” and celebrate its 2 year anniversary. In addition to Skits and Giggles joining in the action, another fully Mandarin language group, 迷鹿即興排練場 Milu Impro Rehearsal Space, will participate in the 2 year anniversary special. Tickets for the show can be booked and purchased early-bird special by directly contacting and reserving with 23 Comedy. Post show, FIG will be encouraging audience members to stick around for an open mic celebration where guests are encouraged to participate, bring their instruments, and sign up for some stage time to highlight their skills and synergy with the audience. We look forward to continuing to connect with the Taipei community and create a safe space where all are welcome to share in the positive spirit of “yes, and” as we help everyone reach out and touch the improviser within.
“We are more daring, more conscious and more cohesive than we were. I think everyone has grown as performers and teammates who know both how to work together in a scene and how to make the most of each moment.” — FIG member Liam Fanning
