Pirates, Robots, and Ninjas: The 3 Types of Improvisers

The Pirate, Robot, Ninja Theory describes the behaviors and tendencies of different types of improvisers and originates from UCB performer and actor Billy Merritt.

In my experience, bringing up the Pirate, Robot, Ninja Theory tends to elicit eyerolls from most improvisers. But those eyerolls are often immediately followed by impassioned discussions about which type of performer each improviser identifies as and why. Performers who say they have no idea what their improv identity is are enthusiastically labeled by groupmates and improv friends.

The point is, you can roll your eyes at the Pirate, Robot, Ninja Theory as much as you want. But at the end of the day, it’s still a helpful framework to start examining your own tendencies and habits as a performer. And if nothing else, it makes for an interesting topic of conversation.

Take a look at how pirates, robots, and ninjas tend to behave on stage, the strengths of each type of performer, and a few things each type can work on to expand their performance capabilities.

Performance styles: the Pirate, Robot, Ninja Theory

In a 2015 interview with Jimmy Carrane on Carrane’s Improv Nerd podcast, Merritt summarizes his theory by saying, “The idea is: attack a scene like a pirate, analyze a scene like a robot, edit a scene like a ninja.”

Before you get too hung up on your improv identity, remember that every good scene calls for performance skills from each type of improviser. Part of the beauty of improv is that you can be 10 different characters in the span of 15 minutes. And if you really try, you can test out all of these performance styles in the same timeframe.

Let’s take a look at how each of these performers takes to the stage.

The Pirate

For Merritt, the Pirate represents the right side of the brain. They tend to make loud, bold choices and take risks. As Merritt describes it, they have a “fuck-your-fear kind of attitude” and are willing to jump into scenes without necessarily having a solid idea in mind or knowing what comes next.

Big characters and wild physicality will often come from Pirate performers.

What Pirates are good at

• Strong initiations
• Big characters
• Being the “wise guy” to the “straight man” in the scene
• Providing a high level of energy

What Pirates should be mindful of

• Not trampling over their scene partners’ suggestions by being too impulsive
• Continuing to listen
• Giving other groupmates a chance to initiate or play the “bold” character

The Robot

The Robot is the Pirate’s other half. They’re all about the logic and rules of a scene and the world that’s been created. Where a Pirate might have a tendency to run out on stage with no idea in mind, a Robot is more likely to take their time on the backline until they think of a good idea.

Robots tend to ground and justify a pirate’s actions, often playing the “straight man.”

What Robots are good at

• Adding necessary information to a scene
• Keeping track of details and rules
• Justifying what’s happening, even if it’s ridiculous

What Robots should be mindful of

• Making their own bold character choices
• Not always relying on more Pirate-y teammates to initiate
• Not compromising on their character’s deal, even if they’re justifying other players’ choices

The Ninja

According to Merritt, Ninjas are “all about true balance.” They’re versatile players and can take on the role of a Pirate or Robot, as needed. As Merritt sees it, all improvisers should strive to be Ninjas. Their main goal is serving the needs of the scene, whether it’s with a fearless, high-energy initiation or justifying one.

If it sounds like a tall order to embody the skills of both a Pirate and Robot, that’s because it is. Being a Ninja takes practice and concentration. The good thing is, Merritt is optimistic about performers’ abilities to reach Ninja levels of improvisation, saying, “I feel that anybody who’s improvised long enough has that Ninja quality.”

Ninjas do whatever is needed in a scene and are masters of both bold and logical choices. They stay on stage as long as they’re needed and edit when they feel a scene is played out.  

What Ninjas are good at

• Justification
• Activation
• Editing

What Ninjas should be mindful of

• Letting scenes breathe and not editing “too soon”
• Their role in the scene, allowing themselves to be a Pirate or Robot, as needed

What type of improviser are you?

If you think you’ve found your “improv identity,” remember not to stop there. Even Ninjas have skills left to learn, and Merritt himself believed  that the point of naming performance styles was so people could learn to play outside of them.

To expand on your performance capabilities, Merritt suggests that you think about “what kind of improviser you are, strengthen that so you can work on the other, and balance them out because you need both sides in order to create on stage.”