The Birthday Party: A Play in Three Acts

by Andy Goldberg, Harold Pinter

Title: The Birthday Party( A Play in Three Acts) <>Binding: Paperback <>Author: AndyGoldberg <>Publisher: SamuelFrench,Inc.

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful guide for anyone wishing to get started in the fun field of Improvisational performing, particularly comedy improv. Clear, concise descriptions. Not an extensive amount of information, and there could have been even more improv games/exercises listed in the final chapters, but considering that the book came out back in 1991, and Improv has exploded in the subsequent years, it was still a useful book.

[Sheena P · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am an improviser. The first part is really useful about things to think about when creating a character on the spot. Some of the tips do seem dated and I find it odd for improv because it's planning the characters to play and how the flow of the story will go before going up the stage. He does say it's a choice to do that or not.
The exercises in the last part are a lot but hard to visualize how they can be executed because there are no examples, it's just really a quick list.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a book from 1991, still holds up pretty well. A few conventions have been mostly phased out however since then, such as recycling characters, wearing costumes and using real props.
Explains every asset of basic improv. In fact, it's only flaw may be in that it tends to over-explains the rules.