[.ca] Truth in Comedy: The Manual for Improvisation (ISBN 1566080037)

From Amazon.com:
Who would have ever thought that learning the finer points of improvisation could be such fun? The "Harold," an innovative improvisational tool, helped Saturday Night Live's Mike Myers and Chris Farley, George Wendt (Norm on "Cheers") and many other actors on the road to TV and film stardom. Now it is described fully in this new book for the benefit of other would-be actors and comics. The "Harold" is a form of competitive improv involving six or seven players. They take a theme suggestion from the audience and free-associate on the theme, creating a series of rapid-fire one-liners that build into totally unpredictable skits with hilarious results. The teams compete with scoring based on applause. The "Harold" is a fun way to "loosen up" and learn to think quickly, build continuity, develop characterizations and sharpen humor.

You know Who??:
I think this book is a complete waste of time and merely serves as a lure to get people to take classes at the Improv Olympic theater in Chicago. It is incoherent and all it suffices to do is drop names the entire time. Wow, so famous people studied at IO then we all should. A complete ego stroke for owner Charna Halpern, but nothing new is taught here. Do yourself a favor, save the money on the book and actually go take classes. This is paperback trash.

If who you know makes you funny...:
the author of this book is a laugh riot. I had a hard time getting past the name dropping and self congradulatory, over the top story telling. The information that comes later in the book is pretty good, having studied with some of the people Ms. Halpern refers to as if she gave them birth. You are never, however, going to learn the "Harold" from a book. Go take a class and get out on stage. Stage time is everything.

Disappointing...:
If you think "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" is funny, and that's the kind of comedy you want to do, then this might help. I personally don't care for that. I was just looking for something to help me generate ideas on how to think on my feet as a public speaker. I didn't really find anything useful in this book for neither public speaking nor stand up. This only seems to be geared toward group comedy. I don't know what all the good reviews are about.

Chemical Engineering 403; Prereqs - none;:
This book has one major gaff. It tries to squeeeeeeze in the improv basics, while it teaches the advanced "Harold". I mean, improv basics are scaterred throughout this book like debris in an O'Hare downdraft. For example, environment, objects and emotion aren't covered until the end of the book. What's a new improviser to think? I wish the progression of this book was more logical: Improv basics, short scenes, long form. Long form improv is made up of short scenes, despite the mantra of disgruntled long formers who blast short form as "jokey". Long form is an advanced skill, with a foundation in the basics of short scenes, like it or not. (Long form proponents who pooh-pooh short form are a lot like haute chefs who scorn vegetables and meat.) Likewise, the authors here become so carried away with the magic of associations between long form scenes, that most of their confused neophyte readers would barely be able label who they are in a single scene.

A good place to start and stop:
This is THE book. If you'll only listen to its ideas about support and listening, this is the only text instruction you'll ever need. Then if you really want to test the waters go to Improv Olympic in Chicago or LA and take a class. If that's not possible, find a group of those like you who is willing to dare and find yourselves a coach who has been trained in long form. Learning methods of long form improv can change how you live and interact with others in a positive way. Challenge yourself to get over the fears involved with improvising. This is THE book.