The Backline

Canadian Comedy Award winners Rob Norman and Adam Cawley discuss weekly improv-based topics based on a theme.
Jun 04 2026

Pulling Premises

The Backline

Pulling Premises

01:10:32 Download (65MB)

This week on Backline, Rob and Adam tackle one of the most fundamental skills in longform improv: pulling premises from a monologue and turning them into strong scene initiations. What information should you actually be listening for? Which details are useful, and which are likely to send you down a dead end? Rob and Adam break down the difference between jokes and playable premises, discuss common mistakes improvisers make when mining openings, and explore how to identify the ideas most likely to generate dynamic scenes.

Submit a Comment