Impro

improvisation and the theatre

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This book might be part of the A Methuen paperback series.
(1 review)

A leading figure in the theatre, Keith Johnstone lays bare his techniques and exercises to foster spontaneity and narrative skill for actors. These techniques and exercises were evolved in the actors' studio, when he was Associate Director of the Royal Court and then in demonstrations to schools and colleges and ultimately in the founding of a company of performers called The Theatre Machine. Divided into four sections, "Status", "Spontaneity", "Narrative Skills" and "Masks and Trance", arranged more or less in the order a group might approach them, the book sets …

208 s, 208 pages

English language

Published 1981 by Methuen.

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ISBN:
978-0-413-46430-9
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Finna ID:
jykdok.330723

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Subjects
  • Improvisation (Acting)
  • improvisointi
  • teatteritaide
  • improvisaatioteatteri
  • näytteleminen

Reviews

reviewed Impro: improvisation and the theatre by Keith Johnstone (Theatre Arts book)

Passionate

This is a collection of a few essays, all of them connected to theater. They read more like notes jotted down by a creative practitioner in the moment than some sort of organized how-to. There are clear pointers here for shedding the notion of not being an imaginative person, on shaking your mind up, helping others do it, shutting up the inner censor, and improvising a narrative; but a lot of the text is jumping around and throwing out references which are probably obvious for people in the theater world and not necessarily the general public.

I got lost and confused in the last essay about Masks, trance, and possession, but I can recommend the rest of the book to anyone looking for a fresh perspective. I really liked the point of view at creativity as an activity and not a character trait.