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The Complete Improviser: Concepts, Techniques, and Exercises for Long Form Improvisation
"If it happens in life, it can happen on stage." With a fresh approach and powerful techniques, the Complete Improviser strives to liberate players from the classic improv rules. While well-meaning, many of the classic rules and approaches to improv (such as always say yes and don't ask questions) say that certain scenes and choices are improper or completely illegal. Yet many of those illegal situations happen in our everyday lives. They also happen in the lives of characters in books, TV shows, and movies without any problems. When we recognize and play by the rules of life, many of the common confusions and stumbling blocks with traditional improvisation go away. Combining basics with pro tips, actors, improvisers, drama teachers, theater directors and new players of all backgrounds will find tremendous value with this life-first, in the moment philosophy. Though primarily focused on Chicago-style long form improv, readers will find information on relationship scenes, game scenes, and long form strategies with sample forms. Included are exercises with examples.
188 pages, Paperback
Published January 16, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 16, 2025
An easy read with a clear, structured view of what - in the authors eyes - makes a nice-to-watch improv scene and show. He teaches a style of truthful, "how would you react if this happened to you in real life"- style of improv that is quite compelling. All of the important concepts are illustrated with actual scenes/dialogues, so you can not just theoretically read but somehow experience what point the author is making. The book comes with loads of tips and insights on how to play emotionally engaging scenes and characters and a construction kit to build the kind of long form that fits you and your team. I really enjoyed reading it, and although having played improv myself for more than 10 years I had more than one aha-moment.
March 6, 2022
Read this book for class, and the big takeaway for me here was that you don't necessarily need to follow arbitrary improv rules if you are playing the truth of reality. If you would do something in real life, you should be able to do it in improv. Another takeaway was that improv is so much more about who is talking and why they're talking instead of what they're talking about. Very insightful stuff here about long form improv.
August 19, 2024
Teaching a class in longform improvisation this fall and reminding myself of the more modern approaches. I always enjoyed Bill Arenett's blog and this contains lots of strong and useful information that is either missing from or less clear in other books on the topic. I especially appreciate his insistence on the value of good scenework and his clear discussion of how openings and "games" support the whole.
April 12, 2024
A Helpful and Practical Teaching Tool
Bill is great at explaining why improv things are the way they are, and why and how you can break these rules to make your scenes more real and more connected to an audience. A must for any complete improv library!
Bill is great at explaining why improv things are the way they are, and why and how you can break these rules to make your scenes more real and more connected to an audience. A must for any complete improv library!
February 7, 2017
I really enjoyed this. Bill provides a unique perspective on improv that gives equal credit to styles focused on game of the scene or relationship. The scene work section and advice on how to play common scene types and show games (his term combining openings and group games) are the real highlights. His emphasis on playing the moment instead of "doing it right" once you're on stage is something I think all improvisers need to be reminded of often. There is some strange formatting and copy in the book at times, but the content here is great.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews