Product Description

"The Improv Handbook" is a great new guide that covers the history of improvisation and includes chapters on spontaneity and the fundamentals of storytelling.Although there are already several successful books on the market about the theory and practice of improvised theatre, there's nothing comprehensive, helpful, fun and full of experience and advice."The Improv Handbook" is a great new guide from a husband and wife team who have years of studying, performance and teaching behind them. Beginning with a history of improvisation, the book works through different types of format and performance including TheatreSports and the inventions of Keith Johnstone and Del Close. The core section of the book is called, simply, "How To Improvise" and includes chapters on spontaneity, the fundamentals of storytelling, working together, upping the ante and characters.Having established the fundamentals, the two authors go on to elaborate on more advanced techniques and skills. The book concludes with sections on how to improvise in front of an audience and - just as crucially - how to attract an audience in the first place." The Improv Handbook" should become a standard book in the field - it's smart, fun, helpful, and inspiring, and it's on a mission to bring Improv to a much wider audience.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #35190 in Books
• Published on: 2008-06-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 425 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780826428585
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

About the Author
Tom Salinsky and Deborah Francis - White are the co-founders of The Spontaneity Shop. Together they have performed improvisation for The Royal Court, The RSC Summer Season, The Gilded Balloon at the Edinburgh Festival and at the Bloomsbury Theatre. They have toured the world and performed at many comedy festivals by invitation. They teach at RADA, The Actors Centre, The National Youth Theatre and many other colleges and institutions, as well as their own successful workshop program.

Customer Reviews

Great for All Theater Artists
Like the best improvised performances, this book is clear, fast paced, and, above all, imaginative. It is equaly adept at introducing and riffing on improv fundamentals to the reader, making it great for your first book on improv or your millionth. And it is even great if your interests in theater are not specifically troupe-based improv. When directing a show, I introduced some of the principles and exercises this book elaborates into the rehearsal process and was amazed at how much funnier the humorous bits became and how much more the dramatic parts resonated. This book is not a mere "how to make others laugh handbook" it truly is an improvisational handbook in the greatest sense - it's about the theatrical imagination and performance spontaneity. No matter what type of theater you are working in, reading this book and introducing its principles will make your characters richer and your situations and scenarios more fully realized. A must have.

Superb Book - a real must have
This book is fantastic. It covers everything you could possibly want to know about improv, in a really interesting fun and comprehensive way. I've been a professional in the business for some years and this best book I've ever read on the subject I would highly recommend it.

Great, Practical Guide
This is the long-awaited 'how-to' guide by my two colleagues at the Spontaneity Shop - the fruit of long experience teaching, directing and performing.

Fascinating sections on narrative (usually neglected by Impro manuals with the honourable exception of Keith Johnstone) and on diagnosing and curing performer's tendencies and difficulties. This book manages to be practical and readable - especially useful for teachers everywhere.