Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre 1st Edition

by Keith Johnstone (Author)

83 customer reviews

ISBN-13: 978-0878301171

ISBN-10: 0878301178

Why is ISBN important?

Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon

Added to

Unable to add item to List. Please try again.

Share <Embed>

Due Date: Dec 18, 2018 Rental Details

FREE return shipping at the end of the semester.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with rentals.

In Stock. Rented from Amazon Warehouse , Fulfilled by Amazon

List Price: $42.95 Save: $28.89 (67%)

Free Shipping

Select delivery location

Add to Rental Cart

Condition: Used - Good

In Stock. Sold by Bluechipz, Fulfilled by Amazon

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

55 Used from $11.58

FREE Shipping

Select delivery location

Turn on 1-Click ordering

In Stock.

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Save an extra $1.72 when you apply this coupon.

Details

$1.72 extra savings coupon applied at checkout.

Details

Sorry. You are not eligible for this coupon.

This item ships to France. Want it Monday, July 9? Order within and choose AmazonGlobal Priority Shipping at checkout. Learn more

List Price: $42.95
Save: $14.84 (35%)

40 New from $23.00

Select delivery location

Turn on 1-Click ordering

More Buying Choices

40 New from $23.00 55 Used from $11.58 1 Rentals from $14.06

96 offers from $11.58

See All Buying Options

Free%20Two-Day%20Shipping%20for%20College%20Students%20with%20Amazon%20Student

Frequently bought together

Total price: $58.26

Buy the selected items together

This item:Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre by Keith Johnstone Paperback $28.11
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
FREE Shipping. Details
Truth in Comedy: The Manual for Improvisation by Charna Halpern Paperback $14.49
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
Improvise: Scene from the Inside Out by Mick Napier Paperback $15.66
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details

Customers who bought this item also bought

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

Keith Johnstone

19

Paperback
$29.00
Charna Halpern

131

Paperback
$14.49
Viola Spolin

55

Paperback
$19.44
Mick Napier

88

Paperback
$15.66
Patricia Ryan Madson

141

Hardcover
$13.56
T.J. Jagodowski

38

Paperback
$16.48

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

Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (January 7, 1987)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0878301178
ISBN-13: 978-0878301171
Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.8 x 8.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 83 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #53,502 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #37 in Books > Arts & Photography > Performing Arts > Theater > Acting & Auditioning
- #40 in Books > Textbooks > Humanities > Performing Arts > Theater
- #6268 in Books > Humor & Entertainment

Would you like to tell us about a lower price?
If you are a seller for this product, would you like to suggest updates through seller support?

NO_CONTENT_IN_FEATURE

Be the first video

Your name here

Important information

Ingredients

Example Ingredients

Directions

Example Directions

Customer Reviews

2 star (0%)

Write a customer review

See all 83 customer reviews

Rated by customers interested in

Books

4.4 out of 5 stars

Book Series

4.3 out of 5 stars

Is this feature helpful?

Thank you for your feedback.

Read reviews that mention

Top customer reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Budster

I cannot recommend this book enough

January 6, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified 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!!

8 people found this helpful

Helpful

Not Helpful

Comment

mbrock

Eye-opening book, goes beyond theater

May 2, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Keith Johnstone has a very interesting worldview. This book is clearly aimed at people who want to either learn about improvisational theater, or even moreso people who want to teach it. There are a few explicit exercises, but the text is mostly prose about the nature of improvisation, and the way that relates to human psychology.

As an example of an interesting psychological insight, Johnstone discusses trance states. He strongly recommends using theatrical masks for improvisation, and his method for using them—though he references many earlier teachers with the same idea—involves using mirrors and skillful encouragement in order to take the student out of their normative self and get them to really experience being something else. But we are in fact always going in and out of trance states, he explains: it's impossible to always be "in control," and attempting that just leads to frustration and anxiety.

Another basic point is that imagination is a kind of natural state of the human mind. At one point he says explicitly that imagination is the "true self," which is if nothing else a fascinating hypothesis. His take on school education recalls other writers, especially John Holt, whom he cites several times: basically, modern education tends to discourage spontaneity and imagination.

Finally, his structural way of seeing theater, comedy, and human interaction in general, involves "status games," which makes a lot of sense. For example, he loves Beckett's way of playing with master-servant dynamics, one-upping, etc. He describes a method of teaching theater that involves getting people to understand their own habits of "status posturing," in order to assume other positions and act naturally. He says that long spontaneous improvisation sessions can grow out of just a simple configuration of status, and gives examples of such games.

Johnstone's outlook reminds me of life's strange beauty. Life is indeed much like improvisational theater, and it's great to learn from the insights of someone whose life work involves taking this seriously.

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

Not Helpful

Comment

James Britt

Valuable even for people outside the theater

August 18, 2011

Format: PaperbackVerified 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.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Not Helpful

Comment

Robert McDowell

A Great Theater and Life Guide

November 20, 2013

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

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.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Not Helpful

Comment

Most recent customer reviews

Zafer

But definitely loved the other parts

Last chapters on mask was a bit confusing for me. But definitely loved the other parts, much more than impro.

Published 4 months ago

Matias Nicolas Layño

Five Stars

all good

Published 4 months ago

EAM

Had no expectations and turned out to be superb

I have no acting experience but found this book simply amazing. So much lessons for own life and insights into the acting world

Published 4 months ago

Matt House

rare glimpse into another world narrated by the master of that universe

This book is consistently expensive and hard to find. A very rare glimpse into the world of acting written by an actor who is also a competent writer.

Published 6 months ago

Jane Daily

Plodding paragraphs and stuffy 60's syntax making for an uninteresting and annoying read

Plodding paragraphs and stuffy 60's syntax making for an uninteresting and annoying read. There are excellent books on improv available and while Keith Johnstone is a good...Read more

Published 7 months ago

Mark B.

Excellent

Johnstone speaks from a wealth of previous experience overflowing with little tidbits of wisdom and ideas that can propel forward anyone working in the theatre arts, and...Read more

Published 11 months ago

Jaime

The Status and Spontaneity sections are amazing!

Yowza, this book reads very much like a textbook. Be prepared for lots of intense concentration. It took me quite awhile to finish reading, which probably stems from my lifetime...Read more

Published on June 13, 2016

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway

This item: Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre

Set up a giveaway

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

Charna Halpern

131

Paperback
$14.49
Mick Napier

88

Paperback
$15.66
Matt Walsh

185

Paperback
$25.00
Keith Johnstone

19

Paperback
$29.00
Viola Spolin

55

Paperback
$19.44
Patricia Ryan Madson

141

Hardcover
$13.56

Pages with related products. See and discover other items: theatre art

Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre 1st Edition

Turn on 1-Click ordering

Turn on 1-Click ordering

Frequently bought together

Customers who bought this item also bought

Sponsored products related to this item (What's this?)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Product details

Related Video Shorts (0)

Be the first video

Important information

Ingredients

Directions

Sponsored products related to this item (What's this?)

Customer Reviews

Read reviews that mention

Top customer reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Most recent customer reviews

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre 1st Edition

Sorry, there was a problem.

Sorry, there was a problem.

Rent On clicking this link, a new layer will be open $14.06 On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

Buy used On clicking this link, a new layer will be open $25.00 On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

Turn on 1-Click ordering

Buy new On clicking this link, a new layer will be open $28.11 On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

Turn on 1-Click ordering

Frequently bought together

Customers who bought this item also bought

Sponsored products related to this item (What's this?)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Product details

Related Video Shorts (0)

Be the first video

Important information

Ingredients

Directions

Sponsored products related to this item (What's this?)

Customer Reviews

Read reviews that mention

Top customer reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Most recent customer reviews

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Rent On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

$14.06 On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

Buy used On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

$25.00 On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

Buy new On clicking this link, a new layer will be open

$28.11 On clicking this link, a new layer will be open