Group Improvisation: The Manual of Ensemble Improv Games [Paperback]

Charna Halpern (Author), Peter Gwinn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2003

Who would have thought that participating in group improvisation could be so enlightening and rewarding! Peter Gwinn has developed The Group Mind at Improv Olympic in Chicago to create a new awareness in the mind and spirit of acting students and professionals. Over forty improvisation games are included for developing group chemistry: creation, bonding, dynamics, energy, focus and more. Techniques are discussed for breaking the ice, agreement, listening and support, teamwork, quick thinking and having fun! The Group Mind, the holy grail of improvisation, is created by a synergy between improvisation participants. It is like ESP. It is the feeling of being part of a greater entity, a sense of excitement, belonging, importance that takes acting skills to a new level.

Product Details

• Paperback: 91 pages
• Publisher: Meriwether Pub; 1 edition (June 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156608086X
• ISBN-13: 978-1566080866
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,797,503 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nice Guidance for work on Group Dynamics, April 24, 2004

By 

Mark A. Chalfant "markinwashingtondc" (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Group Improvisation: The Manual of Ensemble Improv Games (Paperback)

Great, thorough descriptions of lots of great group warm-ups and scene exercises. It's not a vast new continent of never-before-seen improv, but it's the clearest map I've ever seen of the very tricky terrain of group dynamics, which can make or break a performance group (or any group, for that matter). Peter Gwinn writes in a fun and playful conversational tone and the accompanying retro-tastic photos of improvisers at play are, frankly, adorable. I have met folks who trained with Gwinn, and now I join them in their wish to hug him for this contribution to the craft. Gracias!

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a great reference, March 23, 2004

By 

Ryan A Stone (chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Group Improvisation: The Manual of Ensemble Improv Games (Paperback)

For anyone coaching/directing or if you're playing on a team where you need to break into new territories and develop new forms, these games are a perfect start. This book explains what the important parts of each game are so that you bring the actual lessons to stagework, not just horse around and forget. I highly recommend the book.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Consider This an Important Addendum..., January 31, 2004

By 

Improv Goon (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Group Improvisation: The Manual of Ensemble Improv Games (Paperback)

...to Charna Halpern's "Truth and Comedy." Gwinn takes an actor-centric approach to long-form improvisation, developing characters the way Del Close intended them to be. He grounds his games in terminology befitting any advanced acting technique, exploring emotion and motivation over the tricks and gimmicks synonymous with shows like "Whose Line is it Anyway?"

Gwinn has been performing and teaching at Chicago's Improv Olympic for nearly a decade, so he knows his stuff. That being said, as articulate as this book is, it should serve as a supplement, not a substitute, for first-hand experience or training in long- or short-form comedy improvisation.