Customer Reviews

The Compass: The Improvisational Theatre that Revolutionized American Comedy (Centennial Publications of The University of Chicago Press)

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I highly recommend The Compass to anyone who performs longform improv. It's a great introduction to the history of longform improv and all of the original big players like Severn Darden, Elaine May, Mike Nichols, Shelley Berman (Larry David's dad on Curb) etc. and the eventual creation of The Second City. After The Compass, I'd suggest reading the Del Close biography "The Funniest One in the Room" and then "Guru", a biography that focuses more on Del's last years.

The Compass laid an extremely detailed foundation for me to better understand the genesis of longform improv, and gave me a better context for fully appreciating both of Del Close's biographies.

But to give you the book in a nutshell...Viola Spolin is inspired by Neva Boyd's work with group games at the Hull House in Chicago. Spolin's son, Paul Sills, is influenced by his mother's work with short form improv games and uses them to train his actors at the Playwright's Theatre Company, comprised mainly of students from the University of Chicago. Paul Sills and David Shepard later team up to create The Compass Theatre in Chicago which uses improv based around scenarios (think Commedia del Arte), still relying heavily on his mother's work in improv to train his performers.
The Compass becomes a huge success in Chicago...but ego problems start to unravel the company.
A second Compass Theatre is opened in St. Louis...and in enters Del Close. The St. Louis Compass Players experimented more with improv as a show within itself, as opposed to just using scenarios.
Despite its popularity, the St. Louis branch closes, and The Second City is opened in 1959 and has greatly influenced American comedy ever since. Eventually, the original players go their own way.

But the book goes into so much more detail that I found extremely inspiring being a longform improviser myself.
So in the end, if you're a longform improviser and a history buff...I guarantee that you'll love this book.

This book is pinnacle to your success as an improvisor. Understanding the evolution of improvisation as well as the tried and true tactics are mandatory to being a good performer. Please do not hesitate. You will never forgive yourself! Really! This is endorsed by really big improvisors. Also see "Truth in Comedy" by Del Close and Charna Halpern! Truth in Comedy is also a great book that will open your little "short-form" mind to a "long-form" world!

This book is chock full of information about the "Beginning" of modern improv. It's an excellent story well told. It reminds me of a story I know about sheetrock.