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Keith Johnstone

Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre 1st Edition

by Keith Johnstone (Author), Irving Wardle (Author)

334 ratings

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Paperback, January 7, 1987

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First published in 1987. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

ISBN-10

9780878301171
ISBN-13

978-0878301171
Edition

1st
Publisher

Routledge
Publication date

January 7, 1987
Language

English
Dimensions

5.24 x 0.47 x 8.22 inches
Print length

208 pages
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Impro ought to be required reading not only for theatre people generally but also for teachers, educators, and students of all kinds and persuassions. Readers of this book are not going to agree with everything in it; but if they are not challenged by it, if they do not ultimately succumb to its wisdom and whimsicality, they are in a very sad state indeed . . . .Johnstone seeks to liberate the imagination, to cultivate in the adult the creative power of the child . . . .Deserves to be widely read and tested in the classroom and rehearsal hall . . .Full of excellent good sense, actual observations and inspired assetions." -- CHOICE: Books for College Libraries

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Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0878301178
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Routledge; 1st edition (January 7, 1987)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780878301171
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0878301171
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.24 x 0.47 x 8.22 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #44,437 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #9 in Theater (Books)
- #26 in Acting & Auditioning

Customer Reviews:
334 ratings

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Customer reviews

5 star		75%
4 star		13%
3 star		8%
2 star		1%
1 star		3%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Budster

I cannot recommend this book enough

Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2016

Verified Purchase

This may be one of the most important books about spontaneity training for all purposes including of course all of the arts, therapy, and business applications. Johnstone's personal journey in discovering what keeps us trapped in the constant repetitive thinking which ultimately leads to fewer choices in life often a feeling of being trapped, has shown joyful unpredictable ways of breaking out of that trap and reassuming the spontaneous creative genius which is our heritage as human beings. We use so little of our capacity to think outside the box as we are ruled by the subconscious repetitive nay saying imposed on us from birth. Johnstone has shown us so many ways of liberating our minds and reestablishing a sense of freedom to think as we will. As someone who has written about this sort of thing and been a professional in theater, song writing, and as a therapist helping people to break out of their defeating cycles and working at times specifically with creative people who have lost their muse, I cannot recommend this book enough. It is a breakthrough in so many areas. GET IT!!

26 people found this helpful

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BrandonMag

Well worth the time.

Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2020

Verified Purchase

This book is amazing!
I heard about this book on Patrick O'Shaughnessy's Invest Like the Best podcast. I bought it and am very glad I did.
The poem in the introduction is alone worth the asking price. If you want a contrarian's take on thinking, buy this book and read it. I think it will change your way of thinking on some topics.

4 people found this helpful

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James Britt / Neurogami

Valuable even for people outside the theater

Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2011

Verified Purchase

I heard about this book from a discussion on general social interaction. In particular, how people could learn to employee various behavioral characteristics that lead others granting you this or that social status. In other words, you can learn to get others to think of you as the boss or of otherwise high status. Or of low status, if that's your goal. The idea seemed both creepy and intriguing so I got the book.

And while this is indeed discussed in this book, there is so much more. While ostensibly a book on teaching techniques for better improv theater the reasoning and discussion on *why* this or that technique works is amazing.

The author talks about why most formal education stinks, why people who try too hard to be original often are anything but, how and why people befuddle their own imagination and inventiveness, and how one can get around all that.

Even if you never partake in any improv theater the book will give you interesting and useful ideas on how people (including you) perceive things, how people react to the unfamiliar and challenging, and how you can open yourself up to more rewarding experiences.

16 people found this helpful

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Dawid Warpas

Chances are high this book is outside of your comfort zone. That's why it should be read

Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2019

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It's a strange book. I read it because a recommendation from Daniel Pink's "To sell is human" really stuck with me. It had much more new and interesting thought than any other book I've read before. Improv theatre is miles away from my interests. The book was a difficult and uncomfortable read for me - I took a long time on it reading only a few pages at a time. I don't know why it felt unsettling for me to read it in longer intervals. It's well written and the subject is interesting. Yet somehow getting back to it felt a bit like exploring the Uncanny Valley.

Ideas that stuck with me:
Status games (the See-saw in particular)
Spontaneity (how it's unlearned at school and how to get it back)
Narrative skills (and the inability to let go and follow your instinct while piecing stories together)
Masks and trance (the ideas seemed outlandish but somehow the author convinced me that they're true - and I want to know more!)

It's the first book I'm giving a 5/5 to not because I thoroughly enjoyed it, but because I think it's a book that absolutely should be read. Not for the quality of writing, but for the overwhelming quality of ideas portrayed inside.

13 people found this helpful

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David Phillips

Magical - a laugh and cry experience

Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2012

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Remember the last time you started a book, and in just a few pages, maybe even the first page, you knew that that book was going to be a magical experience? Twenty pages in to IMPRO and I've already laughed out loud (many times) and cried.

I didn't want to put it down but felt compelled to take a moment right now to share with others. I have teacher friends and relatives who will value this book; friends with children who will treasure it; and friends and strangers in general seeking a bright, colorful, fascinating, puzzling, moving world, who may come to experience it.

The vignettes, each and all that I've read, speak deeply to me with meaning and delight, and I wanted to share something from the book to give a sense of that, but the challenge of picking just the right sentence or paragraph left me flummoxed. I want to include more and more and more, until, well you should have the whole book, anyway.

Thankfully, Amazon offers a "Click to Look Inside". Now I've been fooled by rave reviews and 4+ stars before, and perhaps this book won't speak to some people (I'm so sorry), but even the first paragraph I read from the sample sold me.

Seriously, if you're a teacher of any kind, or a student of any kind, or someone interested in either of those two categories, this is an important book to have so you can read and reread it.

2 people found this helpful

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Robert McDowell

A Great Theater and Life Guide

Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2013

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These improvisations and lessons transcend theater. This compelling book reminds me again and again that all art and life are feasts of the imagination. We must always push the envelope and bravely break through fear and other obstacles that hold us back. I have borrowed exercises from this book and successfully offered them in writing and spirituality workshops. I perceive that many will also be effective in teen/parenting workshops. The book is a fountain of wisdom and a challenging guide to break free and go deeper.

5 people found this helpful

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Calvin Tolman

One of the best books I've ever read! Do the exercises

Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2014

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Impro isn't just about the theater, it's about life, about the ability to live improvisationally. Read it. Try the exercises out for yourself. Want to have more fun? Want to improve your relationships? Want to meet new people? Improvise. And don't keep your improvisational antics a secret. Tell people what you are doing. Play status games WITH them. bring them into the fun of improvisation. smile. Life is all a big improvisation anyway.

6 people found this helpful

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B Mel

Recommend to all artists

Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2020

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Very instructive book even though I’m not an actor.
It teaches a lot about humans and arts.

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Tek

of a time

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 20, 2021

Verified Purchase

Digs into the dark side, sex and mask. Definitely of a time that was more offensive so be prepared for some eyebrow raising. Found the content fascinating for a historical perspective but not up to the depth of most modern improv writers that built from Keith’s pioneering work.

J. Norman

Fascinating

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 18, 2014

Verified Purchase

I was in two minds whether to give this 5 stars rather than 4. The only reason I didn't give 5 was because one section of the book wrote out unbroken thoughts created by a group of some of his students. It was showing how they were freely without inhibition reaching inside and bringing forth subconscious thoughts...all very interesting but after a couple of paragraphs I started to get bored and it went on for pages and pages

This book is brilliant however, and I laughed out aloud on many occasions. I'm not interested acting, but read this on recommendation by a well respected magician nonetheless.

You will enjoy this book if you have any interest in seeing how people interact with each other, acting, comedy or creativity in any form. It shows clearly where some of the things by Slattery, McShane and all those other Whose line is it anyway? folk stem from.

Fascinating and a brilliant book

Harry Puckering

The Daddy of improv books

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 13, 2015

Verified Purchase

Johnstone was clearly writing from the perspective - and for the benefit - of theatrical improvisation. But he makes a ton of sense from a personal, managerial, leadership and teamworking perspective as well. His breadth of thinking and range of references are stunning. His arguments are elegant and appealing. I got little from the fourth section on Masks and Trance - great for actors and directors I'm sure but not so much use to me and the business people I work with - but the first three sections, on Status, Spontaneity and Narrative Skills, are worth more than the price of admission by themselves. Marvellous.

7 people found this helpful

Daisy Jervis

GREAT FOR ACTORS AND ANY THEATRE PRACTITIONER

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 13, 2021

Verified Purchase

A great guide of games and activities for actors or theatre practitioners who regularly work with groups. Improv is fun for all ages and these games can be adapted for children too!

The Emperor

Fascinating and great techniques

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 10, 2010

Verified Purchase

I am not an actor or an aspiring actor but I am in interested in writing and I have found many of the techniques in this book to be very useful.
It is fascinating to read even if some of it is pretty strange, especially the chapter on mask work.
I am making use of many of the games that he details and I think that it has improved my writing.
In particular the "status games" were brilliant. I am much more aware of people's body language after reading this book.

2 people found this helpful

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