A hit-or-miss book that tries to teach improv. It contains some great insights about comedy, but the book itself is not at all funny; it has a few wonderful suggestions about what it takes to succeed at improv, and some of these suggestions are equally important for succeeding in all aspects of life, but the book also spends an inordinate amount of time on a single improv game called the Harold; there are a few good examples of how various improv techniques work, but also a lot of pointless celebrity name dropping.
Overall, the book will make you appreciate improv more, and you’ll probably want to watch some after reading it, but if your goal is to gain a deeper understanding of improv and comedy, I’m not sure this is the best resource.
As always, I saved a few of my favorite quotes from the book:
“The simplest and most basic concept may also be the most effective. The truth is funny. Honest discovery, observation, and reaction is better than contrived invention.”
“A truly funny scene is not the result of someone trying to steal laughs at the expense of his partner, but of generosity — of trying to make the other person (and his ideas) look as good as possible.”
“One of the biggest mistakes an improviser can make is attempting to be funny.”
“Ars est celare artem, as the ancient Romans would say: the art is in concealing the art.”
“Yes, & . . .” is the most important rule in improvisation”
Rating: 3 stars
Yevgeniy Brikman
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