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Improvise.: Scene from the Inside Out
by
Mick Napier
For more than 20 years of directing, teaching, and participating in improvisation, Mick Napier has watched thousands of scenes. His experience as founder of the acclaimed Annoyance Theatre/Annoyance Productions, as well as Resident Director and Artistic Consultant for The Second City, has led him to continually question why and how scenes work or don't work and what one mu...more
Paperback, 130 pages
Published
March 3rd 2004
by Heinemann Educational Books
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"Truth in Comedy" believes in groupmind in improvisation, whereas Mick Napier's
"Improvise" urges improvisers to believe in themselves. Prior to reading the book, I've heard people describe his methods as "fuck your partner" improvising. I don't think Mick Napier is suggesting a performer should bulldoze a scene, but rather initiate strongly and follow through with that initiation or character. He offers very sound advice as to what makes a scene successful, and when put into practice it has hel...more
"Improvise" urges improvisers to believe in themselves. Prior to reading the book, I've heard people describe his methods as "fuck your partner" improvising. I don't think Mick Napier is suggesting a performer should bulldoze a scene, but rather initiate strongly and follow through with that initiation or character. He offers very sound advice as to what makes a scene successful, and when put into practice it has hel...more
Definitely not as compelling a book as Truth in Comedy, but some good tips inside for people looking to get into improv.
My biggest complaint about this collection of "rules" is how author Mick Napier just repeats himself over and over and over and over again. When I read books like this (acting tips, improv advice, etc.) I like to highlight key passages to make any re-read quick and easy. This book was written with a type of language that made this nearly impossible. Very rarely were tips writte...more
My biggest complaint about this collection of "rules" is how author Mick Napier just repeats himself over and over and over and over again. When I read books like this (acting tips, improv advice, etc.) I like to highlight key passages to make any re-read quick and easy. This book was written with a type of language that made this nearly impossible. Very rarely were tips writte...more
This book is great- I don't think that it is at all contradictory to "Truth in Comedy," just another way to think about the same ideas. It gets four stars because it's a little more abstract and difficult to take in, at least for me. Anyone interested in improv should definitely read this book. I especially liked the individual practice exercises and the tips on how to do a large group scene. Lots of great stuff in this book...I finished it a few weeks ago and I'm still thinking about the great...more
Nothing mind-glowingly life-changing paradigm-shifting here, but definitely a must have for any improviser as Mick dispels many of the "rules" and "musts" that we learned in classes.
It's a quick read, and I'll likely put it on my read-once-a-year list.
It's a quick read, and I'll likely put it on my read-once-a-year list.
Napier gives heaps of guiding principles for improvisers in a slim 100 or so pages, all based on the notion of the improviser taking care of his/her self. No question, there are plenty of off-stage applications for his advice, as well.
Very straight forward book about making simple choices in performances. Most of it deals with strong choices and listening to yourself before worrying about the rest of the scene.
Fantastic Book about improv. This man is an excellent teacher and I love reading his theories and advice on improv
I thought the insight was interesting, but I am definitely not a fan of the writing style.
Although it took a chapter or two for me to get into this book, I found a lot of useful theory and techniques in it. The author's near stream-of-consciousness style of writing turned me off at first, but it became easier to understand as the book went on. The chapters are well organized and once the author finishes his tirade against improv rules, he shares a lot of useful ideas. I didn't think a book on improv could help me to get out of my head and act more while improvising, but that's exactl...more
I loved it. This book was fun to read and easy to understand. He outlines improv comedy very comically which, in my opinion, is the way it should really be done. He gets to the point of what he's trying to say and comes back to points he's already made to tie into more complex ideas. I loved it. Very easy to understand and a good one to read as an introduction to books about improvising. It was a little bit short and he maybe made some points I didn't quite agree with, but every improviser is di...more
The best book on improvisation performance I have ever read.
Best book about improv but must be read after truth in comedy
Great insights into improv, and breaking the rules >:)
This the best improv book out there.
So good, you guys. So good.
The most useful improv book I've read yet.
As long as you've done a little improv, and have learned the "rules," this could be the best book to read on the subject. Good advice and good solo exercises.
The most important thing that I learned from this book was that people don't break the "rules" of improv because they don't know the rules or they don't care. You break the rules because of fear.
This book was worth buying just for the do-at-home exercises alone. The rest is good, too, but man, those exercises rock. My favorite was "Dada Monologue."
This book was worth buying just for the do-at-home exercises alone. The rest is good, too, but man, those exercises rock. My favorite was "Dada Monologue."
Jun 24, 2008
Colie!
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
actors, improvisers
Recommended to Colie! by:
Eric Hunicutt
Shelves:
theatre
This book is INVALUABLE to anyone delving further into the world of improvisation. It offers great advice and wonderful perspectives on the art form, and useful things to keep in mind to keep one from falling into the all too prevalent pitfalls of playing for laughs. It's the best book on improvising I've read. I'm going to read it again and again.
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Napier’s book reads like an intermediate improviser’s “how to” manual. You have already learned how to accept other’s offers, to “yes and.” You have learned the basic tools: scene starts, characters and who-what-where. Now, you have to learn how to work with those tools to make something that people will actually want to watch.
This is a great book about creating scenes, characters, emotions, etc. And a great follow-up to Truth in Comedy.
Aug 20, 2008
Angela
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Your mom. I hear she's a terrible improvisor.
Recommended to Angela by:
Denise Swindell
I probably would have chickened out of improv if I hadn't read Mick's book, truthfully. So hooray for this! I also like it that this website says that people who viewed this book also viewed Queen of the Damned, Hellboy, Cyrano de Bergerac, and the Book of Mormon.
Mick is probably the best improv director on the planet. And he definitely cuts through the bullshit that's prevalent in most improv "rules".
Although, like most acting books, it probably won't make a lick of sense without doing scenes and knowing what it feels like.
Although, like most acting books, it probably won't make a lick of sense without doing scenes and knowing what it feels like.
For my money the best book about improvisation out there. If you need to read one book about how to be a good improvisor... why would you need that? In what circumstance would a person HAVE to read just one book about improvisation?
Great book that I will read again and again. Best to read it while taking an Improv class so you can immediately practice Mick Napier's techniques.
Great level 2 improv guide. I would recommend reading this after Truth in Comedy, and after you've been doing improv for a bit.
An excellent book for intermediate to advanced improvisors, better written than Halpern's "Truth in Comedy".
oh hiyaaa, Mick. You be a genius, you be. Oh, yeaaassss. You be a gooood genius.
Great for improvisers. (the names says it) I reread chapters all the time.
Aug 18, 2009
Cean Okada
added it
Very in depth and especially good if learning long form improv.
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