3 Improv Rules I'd Like to Change in 2026

The longer I teach improv, the more I see that some improv “rules” get in the way of students’ improvising. I don't even like to call them rules because that implies that if you're not following them, you are doing it wrong. I try to use the word guidelines. One of the goals of improvisation is to learn to trust your instincts, but I often see students put their trust in the “rules” over their impulses.

In my online and in-person improv classes, I have seen three improv rules that, when followed too rigidly, prevent students from doing even better scene work. So, as we leave 2025 behind, I would like you to rethink these so-called “rules” so that you can start the new year off doing your best improv.

1. “Yes, and...”
   “Yes, and…” is one of the most misunderstood “rules” of improv. It doesn’t mean you have to literally say “yes, and…” to anything and everything on stage. If you don’t think your character would say yes to something, it’s perfectly fine to say no. What “yes, and” really means is that we must agree to the facts of the scene and to the reality we’ve created. That’s it.
   
   We may have characters with different points of view who might not agree on things. They might even argue. That is perfectly fine. If you “Yes, and...” too much and do something that does not support your character’s, point of view, you will be selling out your character.
   
   If we start a scene and the first person puts us in a bar, it is easier for both of us to agree we are in a bar. If we discover we are brother and sister, it is just easier to agree we are brother and sister. Those are the facts of the scene.
   
   But for example, in the scene where we have agreed to be in a bar and we are brother and sister, let’s say the brother is a recovering alcoholic and has now been sober for 15 years, and the sister offers to buy him beer. It makes perfect sense for him to say, “No, I am sober now. I have not had a drink in 15 years.” Him saying no to the beer is more truthful to his character’s point of view than saying yes.
   
   So, next year, please, please, please stop saying “yes, and...” to everything that comes out of your scene partner's mouth.
   
2. Don't Do Transaction Scenes
   I hear from my students all the time that they are “not supposed to do transaction scenes.” This is another one of those dumb improv rules.
   
   We have all seen bad transaction scenes. They go something like this:
   Customer: “How much is the coffee?”
   Coffeeshop Person: “$20,000.”
   
   What the…? Spending $20,000 for a cup of coffee is not believable. Making up a ridiculous price for something rarely gets a laugh. And it can get even worse when the other player thinks they need to “Yes, and...” it.
   
   But what if you turned that transaction scene into a relationship scene instead and discovered a shared history between the characters? Maybe the coffeeshop person is your long-lost dad or your old high school boyfriend, or the lead singer from your favorite band. Take the focus off the transaction and put it on the relationship. Trust me, if you create a shared history between the characters, you will be surprised how easy and fulfilling transaction scenes can be.
   
3. Don’t talk about someone who is not in the scene with you
   I have seen students do great scenes where they talk about someone who is not there, and when it’s over they convince themself they did something wrong. Sometimes when we talk about a character who is not there, we are avoiding the relationship between the two characters on stage, but most of the time, if we have a strong emotional reaction to that unseen person, we can explore how the relationship between the characters on stage and the unseen person. Here’s an exercise I have used that uses this technique.

EXERCISE:
Set up four chairs as if it’s a car. Put two chairs in the back and two in the front. The premise is four people who know each other are driving to an event, such as a funeral, wedding, rock concert, or college reunion.

For example, let’s say four long time college friends are going to the funeral of one of their close friends. One of the friends in the car confesses they used to have an affair with the person who just died. The other three are emotionally surprised, and they take it personally. They feel betrayed and say, “Why did you hide it from us?” Someone else could feel jealous because they went on a couple of dates with the person who had the affairs and thought there was something there. This scene is more about the relationship of the people in the car, and we use the person who is not there as a starting-off point.

Want to start your improv off right in 2026? Don't miss Jimmy's Long Form Tune-Up Workshop on Jan. 3!