Bombing
A show that doesn't land — no laughs, no connection, no momentum. Universal and formative.
Known for
- Every improviser bombs. Frequency decreases with experience; it never goes to zero.
- Chicago tradition treats bombing as training — the post-mortem is where you learn what went wrong, not a punishment.
- Healthy ensemble behavior: laughing about a bomb together; unhealthy: scapegoating or denial.