The Backline
Episodes
Awareness VS. Agency
24 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam discuss how to create interiority in a character, how focussing too much on heightening can create undesired outcomes, and how ...
Is it a Scam?
10 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Rob and Adam discuss shady improv classes, incompetent improv teachers, and what to do when you’re dissatisfied with your experience in t...
A Surprising Way to Teach Improv
03 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam discuss different methods of teaching improv, what's the best way for a teacher to get their ideas across, and how context chan...
Is this the End of the Second City ETC?
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/69960811/download.mp3 Brought to you By: The Sonar Network https://thesonarnetwork.com/
Shame, Scene Hogs, and Everything Else
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Rob and Adam answer three questions from a single listener. This week they discuss shame, greedy scene partners, and how to strengthen your comedic ...
To Care or Not to Care
12 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam discuss the delicate balance between telling jokes and caring about the reality of the scene, when it makes sense to care in yo...
Fresh Start
05 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We all make mistakes—but how do we recover when they happen onstage? Is there a magic phrase an improviser can use to win the audience back? This we...
The Backline Holiday Special 2025
23 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam reflect on the year and give spread thanks to improv communities across the world: Ann Arbor, Chris the Cameraman, mentorship f...
Bulldozer
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Rob and Adam dive into the challenges of handling heavy offers, navigating information overload, and figuring out how to deal with un...
Touch the Lamassu!
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Rob and Adam tackle a tricky question: does your improv teacher have secrets to share, or are they full of it? With countless improv styles...
From the Classroom to the Stage
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam discuss the transitioning your skills from the classroom to the stage. Why is it so hard to do what works in an exercise, onsta...
Spark-less
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Rob and Adam talk about navigating your improv career, dealing with self-doubt, and having honest conversations with yourself about what's possible an...
Intelligence VS. Integrity
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Rob and Adam dsicuss the time-honoured tradition of playing to the "Top of their Intelligence" by having a very dumb discussion about chara...
Offensive
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Improv is not historically known for being offensive, but sometimes improvisers cross the line. Why is comedy so frequently associated with offense?...
Who, What, Where – but When?
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam chat about framing scenes prior, during, or after the action. Do scenes always need to start in the middle? What's the best way...
Platforms, Tilts, and Improvising Action
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam, discuss platforms and tilts for improv scenes, how sketch influences scenes, and how to create action without blindsiding thei...
Technique
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The improv world is full of technique. What techniques help individual improvisers? What techniques benefit the theatre you play at? Are there techn...
Tethering
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam discuss tethering: the act of linking your emotional state to what your partner is doing. Also, some great questions about te...
Questions Only – September 2025
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The truth is out! After a tumultuous three weeks apart, Rob and Adam return to the podcast to air thier grievances, resolve differences, and answer yo...
Competition is the Thief of Joy
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob sits down with one of the organizers of the Robin Hood Improv Festival in Nottingham, Lloydie, to discuss competition, inclusion, and fi...
Game Revisited
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam debate the merits of Game of the Scene, pulling premise, and how to create meaningful patterns that bolster your longform show....
Get Connected
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam discuss connection, rapport, relationships onstage and offstage. Also, is it possible to have a meaningful connection with a st...
Form Follows Function
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam discuss improv forms! What makes a good improv form? When does your improv format get in the way of your scenes? Also, the be...
There’s Nothing More Boring Than Creativity
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, Rob and Adam dive into where improv ideas come from, how to wrestle with creative blocks, and why the supposedly “whimsical” act of cre...
Do You Like Me?
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There's nothing more unfair when an audience picks their collective favourite onstage. How important is it to be likable onstage? What can you do to...
Classroom the to the Stage
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam discuss the careful art of taking lessons from the classroom and applying them to the stage. Brought to you By: The Sonar Ne...
How Do I Know If I’m Getting Better?
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam discuss personal growth, improvement, and developing yourself throughout your improv career. Brought to you By: The Sonar Netw...
Active Choice VS. Action Choice
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam discuss one of the foundational rules of improv, "Always make the active choice." Brought to you By: The Sonar Network http...
The Anaesthetic of Yes And
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We're told that Yes And is the building block of every improv scene, but are there are drawbacks when using this tool? This week Rob and Adam discuss ...
Find the End
10 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam discuss how to find your ending onstage, what a resolution looks like onstage, and how your ending might differ based on what f...
Scene Paint Me (Like One of Your French Girls)
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam discuss scene painting within scenes, openers, and transitions. As well as Mitch Marner, ceremonial swords, and the science o...
Narrative Longfrom
27 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam discuss story-structure, the limitations of modular improv, and how to create simple narratiaves for your improv show. Thanks t...
Too Big
18 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam discuss nuanced characters, creating active audience members, and avoiding going "too big" in a scene. Brought to you By: The ...
Body Movin’
16 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam discuss finding the fun in physicality, object work for your improv essay and the antidote for Talking Heads Syndrome. Also c...
Hot Pockets
03 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Every improviser has experienced "being in your head" and every improv podcast has discussed what it feels like. In this episode, Rob and Adam discuss...
Breaking Up Is Hard to Do
01 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam discuss what to do when your improv team breaks up, and how to move forward with the artform you love. Also, a birthday week, ...
Barprov
21 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
While there are many different forms of improvisation, there are none more derided than Barprov. This week Rob and Adam discuss crowds, controlling th...
Questions Only & The Mysteries of Season Nine
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week Rob and Adam pull a handful of questions from the Backline Mailbag to discuss casting an improv show, creating community, building energy th...
Starting It Off Right
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's the launch of Season 9! Rob and Adam discuss how to start off a monoscene, things to avoid in your initiation, and finding a nonverbal, secret co...
Three Ghosts of Improv
24 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's the season finale of The Backline. This episode Adam and Rob reflect, vivisect, and/or project the past, present, and future of improv. Broug...
Too Many Teachers
09 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It seems like there's a billion improv teachers each with their own philosophy, terms and way of improvising. But what do you do when those ideas co...
Defensive
29 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
To perform comedy, you have to be vulnerable - but its incredible difficult to do so when surrounded by people who make fun of things for a living. In...
Playing the Verb
22 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Rob and Adam open up the Backline Mailbag to answer listener questions about Rob's book Improvising Now: A Practical Guide to Modern ...
A Comprehensive Guide to All Shortform Games – Part Two
11 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week Adam and Rob, use extensive metrics and data (definitely not just their opinion) to determine an ongoing ranking system for all shortform ga...
Auditions and Disappointment
04 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After a big audition, it's not uncommon to be disappointed with the results. This week Adam and Rob discuss their own feelings about rejection, disapp...
Control
09 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Built into the fabric of improv is going with the flow, not thinking ahead, and letting go of control. But being completely "out of control" isn't a...
Teaching Your First Workshop
01 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Eventually, every improv professional needs to teach their first class. But what about? How do you pick a topic? How do you make that workshop success...
The Problem with Strong Characters
23 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Strong characters! It's whatever everyone wants to do onstage. In this episode, Rob and Adam go over techniques, tricks and tips for better characters...
The Unteachables
21 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Can improv be taught? What about funny? What about stage presence? What about "star power"? This episode Rob and Adam discuss what can and cannot be t...