Clowning around and making things up on the spot can be really fun and liberating. That’s what Marc Rowland gets to do every day. He is one of the artistic directors of Montreal Improv, a school established in 2008 for those who want to improve their acting or public speaking skills and gain confidence in social interactions.
Marc started doing improvisation at the age of 13, when he participated in the Canadian Improv Games. He has since continued with improv, including clown acts, miming and acting to his résumé. But improv, as Marc explains it, is not exactly the same as acting.
“Improv can incorporate acting, but is really about generating a scene in the moment and on the spot,” explains Marc. “We get an idea and start creating out of it and see where we can go with it. Acting, though it can incorporate improv, usually is working off a script. That’s the main difference between improv and acting.”
