Written by Dan Hopman
In the 1964 movie “A Hard Day’s Night,” a reporter asks George Harrison, “What would you call that hairstyle you're wearing?” Without a beat, Harrison replies, “Arthur.”
This snappy and sarcastic interaction, very much in the spirit of improv comedy, is the inspiration behind one of the artform’s most long-lasting structures, “Harold.”
Who is “Harold”?
The “Harold” is a long form used to develop recurring characters or themes throughout a series of scenes. A typical “Harold” consists of the following:
- An opening
- A set of three scenes (the first beat)
- A group game
- Revisiting the first set of scenes through three additional scenes (the second beat)
- Another group game
- A third beat where previous ideas collide, including characters, themes and locations
First performed by The Committee, an influential ‘60s improv group, the “Harold” was eventually brought to Chicago by Del Close. There he continued to develop it with the help of Charna Halpern.
While the “Harold” may seem heavily structured in comparison to other types of long-form improv, adhering too closely to that structure would be a disservice to the teachings of Halpern and Close.
John Forrest Thompson trained at the legendary iO theater and is a part of the management here at The Focus Theater.
“[Close] Didn’t want people to go out and do ‘Harolds’ as he taught them, it was just a starting point.” Thompson explained.
By design, the skills required to perform a “Harold” are universal. Improvisers from any experience level or any school of thought should be able to meet up and do one without prior communication or practice.
Thompson added “If you see a bunch of musicians that get together and they don’t know each other's music, the one thing they do know how to play is the 12-bar blues.”
The Importance of “Harold”
From a structural standpoint, the “Harold” holds an important place in the history of improv comedy. Many other popular long forms, such as the “Bat” and the “Armando,” wouldn’t exist without it.
“A lot of this carries over into life,” Thompson said. “When you’re in a situation in your daily life and you think, ‘If I was on stage right now, I wouldn’t be mad at this person. I would be trying to elevate them.’”
Beyond improv, the “Harold” can teach us real-world lessons on patience, listening and eye contact. It also stresses the importance of playing honestly, which means appreciating the moment and not always trying to be funny.
“I think every level that you come to a ‘Harold’ and the more you learn about it, the more you learn about yourself,” Thompson added.
If you’d like to know more about “Harold,” check out “Truth in Comedy” by Halpern, Close and Kim Johnson!