The SoCap Improv Comedy Podcast · Ralph MacLeod

Avoid Gaslighting Others

·21 min·40 clips

Ralph begins with his usual loose, conversational setup before moving into a practical improv question. He frames gaslighting as something that can show up in all kinds of conflict scenes. The core example is a character saying another character never supports them. Many improvisers, he says, jump straight to a factual denial. That response causes trouble because the actors are now disagreeing about the scene’s reality. Ralph pauses on that difference and circles back to it from a few angles. Characters can have opposing beliefs and conflicting memories. That part is fine. The problem is actor-level disagreement. If the performers are fighting over what is true, the scene gets stuck. Ralph describes that as a disconnect that makes forward movement difficult. He notes that there may be a way through that tension, but strongly suggests not taking it. The better move is agreement. When one character says they are unsupported, the other actor should accept that premise. From there, the scene can deepen into response, reversal, or escalation. Ralph gives the example of a sharper reply that turns the admission into a power move. The goal is not to flatten conflict. It is to make conflict playable. Once both actors accept the scene’s reality, they can build stakes instead of collapsing into argument. Ralph keeps the explanation plain and practical rather than abstract. He sounds like someone thinking through the rule as he goes, which makes the lesson feel usable rather than polished. The episode stays focused on why scenes fail and how agreement keeps them alive, then closes with comments and a casual sign-off.

As heard by us

A plain reminder that actors need to share the same reality, even when the scene does not.

Ralph keeps the focus on a plain improv rule: the actors have to share the same reality, even when the characters do not. He uses a simple conflict to show how a scene can bog down when performers start arguing over what is true, then brings it back to the basic fix of accepting…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

If your scenes keep turning into reality disputes, start here.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The SoCap Improv Comedy Podcast