Customer Reviews

The Birthday Party

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is an excellent manual for any improviser, no matter what level of experience he or she may have. The book is broken down into four sections:

1. An Introduction

2. The Elements

3. The Performance

4. Workshop

The first section goes into the language of improv, which describes the breakdown of the scene. Character, environment, and plot are discussed in detail, as are sub-elements such as activity, attitude, conflict, specifics, point of view, and dialogue. The importance of beginning, middle, and end is covered, as is the importance of being specific. Then the four basic rules are broached: don't deny; show us, don't tell us; play the moment, and play the scene legitimately. And despite what the other reviews have erroneously suggested, the author specifically states NOT to say one-liners or make jokes. Mr. Goldberg also suggests learning from others.

Without spoiling the Elements section of the book, suffice it to say that this book goes into detail about the elements of improv, CHARACTER, ENVIRONMENT, & PLOT with equal attention to detail.

The Performance section goes into practical topics such as: Assembling a Troupe, Who's In Charge, Ensemble Playing, Workshopping, The Show Structure: Pacing and Variety, What To Ask For in a Suggestion, Is It All Right To Turn Down a Scene Suggestion?, The Huddle, Lighting, Music and Sound Effects, Is It Ever the Audience's Fault?, Leave Your Worries at the Doorstep, How Much of an Improv Show Is Improvised, and Originality.

The Workshop section discusses: Getting Started, The Order and Choice of Exercises and Scene Setups, and a Glossary of Workshop Terms. It then goes on to describe 83 improv games!

Now there is nothing wrong with Viola Spolin's works; they form the backbone of improv in the U.S.A. But this book is detailed without being overbearing about it; it's totally readable and fascinating to those who do improv...and even those who don't. Even if you are just a fan, you will find this book a page-turner.

And Andy knows what he's talking about: he's been doing improv for over thirty years; he has his own improv troupe, OFF THE WALL, who still perform monthly in Santa Monica. He's worked closely with Robin Williams (they were in the same improv troupe together), John Ritter, Corbin Bernsen, etc., as well as countless producers and working actors.

This book is the real work, forged from many years of experience teaching improv from a true professional. Buy it, read it, USE it. It will pay you back many times over whether you just watch improv or do improv for fun and/or profit.

In his book, Andy Goldberg attempts to go for the funny (and often fails at that). Unfortunately for the reader, this is not the way to do good improv. In fact, it will most likely guarantee bad improv. You know the kind--the "group with a wacky name, the group with matching T-shirts with their wacky logo, the group who are members of the 'Whose Line' fan club" type of improv.

If you are interested in REALLY learning improvisation, you would be better off reading "Improvisation for Storytellers" by Keith Johnstone or "Improvisation for the Theater" by Viola Spolin. If you want a book on how to be funny, a much better choice would be "The Comic Toolbox" by John Vorhaus.

The only useful thing about the book is that it contains some suggestions starting a troupe, conducting rehearsals, and scheduling performances. That is not enough to justify paying for the book.

Andy's book sticks to what he knows best, improvisational comedy, so he doesn't allow the performer much depth. Good basic improv rules and comedy exercises. Also look at "Improv! A Handbook for the Actor" by Greg Atkins and "Improvisational Theater" by Viola Spolin.

I heartily disagree with the other reviewers. There is a lot of really good information in this book and I strongly recommend it. Great practical advice as well as some excercises and games in the back to play with others. My copy has many dog-eared pages, asterisks and highlited sections. Buy it, read it, learn it!

If you want to learn improv I totally recommend this book. There must be dueling enemy gangs fighting it out in improv-land, because there is no way this book should be trashed like the review below. Maybe you don't think it's great, so four stars, or even three, but one star?? Somethings up with those reviewers.

This is a really clear book with lots of great exercises and all the tools for building a scene and finding funny characters. They use it as a textbook in my theater department and it was one of the most fun and creative classes in the whole program.

Goldberg's book is geared entirely towards 'being funny', creating stock characters to be used over and over, and using tired jokes time and time again... basically everything improvisation speaks AGAINST. I was sad to have spent money on this book, and refer to it mainly as "How NOT to Improvise."

Goldbergs book Improv Comedy is the premiere book on improv comedy. Using all his experience in his 20+ years in the buisness he pulled it all together for this book. As an actor I'd recommend this book to anyone looking to take thier acting to the next level.

What a complete waste of time and money. The author may have been teaching since 1978, but what he's been teaching, I don't know. It certainly isn't improv. I would be horrified to see a group perform after they studied this material.

If you want to learn about improvisation, I would suggest Halpern's "Truth in Comedy" or Kozlowski's "The Art of Chicago Improv: Short Cuts to Long-Form Improvisation."

Worthless piece of crap. This guy doesn't know jack.