Impro

Improvisation and the Theatre

Keith Johnstone

Recommended By

Book Synopsis

"Impro" by Keith Johnstone is an influential guide to improvisational theater, providing valuable insights and practical exercises for performers and enthusiasts.

This book explores the principles of improvisation, emphasizing the importance of spontaneity, trust, and collaboration on stage. Johnstone introduces various games and exercises that encourage actors to break free from inhibitions and tap into their creativity.

He also discusses the role of status in improvisation, highlighting how understanding and manipulating status dynamics can enhance performances. Johnstone explains the concept of mask work, encouraging actors to embody different characters and explore alternative perspectives.

In addition, "Impro" delves into the power of storytelling and the creation of narratives on the fly. Johnstone explores techniques for building engaging scenes, emphasizing the importance of listening, reacting, and building on ideas.

The book also addresses the challenges and pitfalls of improvisation, such as the fear of failure and the pressure to be constantly funny. Johnstone provides guidance on how performers can overcome these obstacles and truly become fearless and spontaneous on stage.

Through its concise and insightful approach, "Impro" offers a comprehensive toolkit for anyone interested in improvisational theater, whether for performance, teaching, or personal growth. It is a valuable resource for actors, directors, educators, and individuals seeking to enhance their creative and collaborative skills in any field.

Explore More Books

See All
Moonwalking with Einstein
Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me)
The World That Wasn't
The Origins of Virtue
The Politics Industry
Chapterhouse: Dune
Beyond The Blue
Parfit
The Case for Nationalism
How Asia Works
The Butterfly Defect
Healthy Buildings
The Richest Man in Babylon
Letters from a Stoic
Creating Shareholder Value
Mother of God
The Etymologicon
That Will Never Work
The Holy Bible
The Spectator
A Story Lately Told
#AskGaryVee
This Brave New World
Tao Te Ching
Execution
The Narrow Corridor
On Immunity
The Story of Civilization: The Age of Voltaire
Hard Drive
Class Warfare
Merchants of Truth
Grass Farmers
Distress
Great Short Poems
Roger Ailes: Off Camera
Twelve Against The Gods
Concentrated Investing
Thus Spoke the Plant
The Dog Stars
Makers
Different
Central Banking 101
The Oz Principle
The Romance of American Communism
The Medici Effect
Call of the Reed Warbler
The Model Thinker
The Rise And Fall Of American Growth
If I Could Tell You Just One Thing
I am Anne Frank
Ordinary Men
The Nature of the Beast
Carrying The Fire
Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage
A Sense of Where You Are
The Essays of Warren Buffett
Active Inference
Determined
The Essential Wooden
I Love Capitalism
Creativity, Inc.
The Picture of Dorian Gray
How to Change Your Mind
Immortality
The Civil Rights Era
Too Big to Fail
The Tyranny of Experts
Alice in Wonderland
The Painted Bird
Crash Proof 2.0
American Buffalo
The Big Ship and Little Digger
The Half-Life of Facts
No Applause - Just Throw Money
A Cure for the Common Company
The Ascent of Money
Hillbilly Elegy
The Formula
Cuckoo
Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
The Robotics Primer
Presidents of War
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Play It Away
Excession
The Culture of Narcissism
Markings
The Fourth Revolution
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
Impromptu
Liar's Poker
The Fortunes of Africa
Dynasty
Courage
Essays In Persuasion
The Sixth Extinction
Nixonland
The Innovators Dilemma
Masters of Doom