This week Adam and Rob discuss our relationship with the audience, how to follow Blue acts, and what to do when our expectations don't match what the audience wants. Also oil lamps.

In this episode, Rob and Adam discuss casting and what does the "perfect" Harold team look like! If you'd like to play at home, pick 8 archetypes from the list below:

1) Initiator - This player starts scenes.  Always the first person out.

 2) Listener - This person is always 2nd out.  Very good at supporting their partner's offers.

3) Glue Player - Directs the show from within.  Very good at editing the show and being mindful of variety.

4) Game Player - Master of Game of the Scene.  Excellent at heightening patterns.

5) Actor - Very charming onstage.  Able to ground even the weirdest of premises.

6) Tagger - Excellent at 2nd beats.  Great at tagging into scenes.  Always has a great 2nd beat ready.

7) Clown - Someone very funny.  Able to bring down the lights. Falls down a lot.

8) Veteran - Someone with loads of experience. Able to take the suggestion and instil a strong work ethic in the team.

9) Instigator - This is person likes to cause mischief in scenes.  Always pushing boundaries.

10) Connector - Able to find the theme and bring everything together in 3rd beats.

11) Organic Player - Master of Group Games and openers.  Able to execute complex transitions. 

12) Justifier - Able to set-up the who, what, where.  Provide context to scenes.

13) Singer - Someone who is excellent at musical improv.

14) Character Player - Someone who is able to bring a series of big, rich characters to scenes. 

15) Deadpanner - Someone who's dry wit is able to bring BIG cerebral laughs to the stage. Also excellent at satire and premises.

16) Yes Ander - Someone very excited to be there and support other player's ideas.

17) Storyteller - Able to tell a compelling narrative and create mind-blowing action sequences.

This week Adam and Rob discuss the importance of swagger, showmanship, and stagecraft in improv scenes.  Whether you're struggling controlling an audience or you're stuck in a scene that's gone terribly wrong, then this episode is for you.

This week Adam chats with Rob from Copenhagen, Denmark to discuss that terrible, awkward, weird feeling when you bomb.  What do you say? How do you manage the feeling? What do you say to your friends.  Also, updates on Rob's tour through Latvia and Denmark.

This week Rob and Adam revisit the Game of the Scene from Season One, and discuss how their views have evolved over the past four years.  From pattern recongition to heightening, all is covered in this episode.  If you're new to GOTS, check out GOTS (ep. 14), Push/Pull (81), and Framing (ep. 118) before giving this episode a listen!

This week Rob and Adam answer listener questions! From improv copyrights to accents to panicking onstage to the walk-ons - all will be revealed. Please if someone knows where Rob's dad is, contact us @thebacklinepod on Facebook or Twitter.

Rob And Adam talk disappointment.

This week Rob and Adam discuss the very theoretical scenario of opening an improv theatre. What do you need? What resources do you require? How does an improv theatre actually work?  Also if you have a really bad business idea for an improv theatre, let us know your worst ideas at thebacklinepod on Twitter and Facebook.

If we don't need to literally say "Yes And" to offers in scenes, then what does agreement actually look like? With this new defintion, what is blocking?  Is blocking even possible in modern improv? This week Rob and Adam do a deep dive on all-things negative, contrarian, and self-defeating.  If you're stalling out in scenes or frustrated by nay-sayers in your troupe, this episode is for you.

For students new to improv, classes are a great way to meet people, involve yourself in the community, and hone your craft. But what do you do when classes are no longer challenging you and you aren't getting any better?  This week Adam and Rob discuss what you can do with $300 to improve your abilities onstage outside of the classroom.  Also Rob took a photo in a clawfoot tub.