Dramaturgy
Opposing characters are part of the dramaturgical toolkit of improv theater. Opposites make it easier to generate "friction" and to develop conflicts. They also fundamentally make a scene more varied and therefore more interesting.
Opportunities for opposites within a scene include:
- Status - high/low,
- Tempo - one person moves fast, the other slowly,
- Character - bad/good, selfish/altruistic, frantic/phlegmatic
- inner attitude - "I truly love my job as a salesperson"/"I am a grumpy customer", "I am the technically worst shoe salesman in the world"/"I am the shoe expert"
- Voice - loud/quiet, fast/slow.
- Emotions - sad/happy, fearful/reckless, love/indifference (hate)
- Gender
- Protagonist - Antagonist
Different, though not necessarily opposite, can be:
- Characters - example: it does not serve a horror scene if all players act as aliens, vampires or villains on stage, or in science fiction if everyone is a robot, and so on.
- Language - dialect/standard speech
Program design
Beyond the scene, opposites can and should also shape the programmatic design of a show. The games and scenes within a long form should be contrasting or at least varied. Example: an action scene followed by a quiet, reflective scene; a talking game followed by a singing game. This contrast keeps the audience engaged and the rhythm of the evening alive, preventing emotional or stylistic monotony from settling in.