Improvisation in Drama, Second Edition

Improvisation in Drama was the first book to offer a unified view of work central to most drama training. This new edition includes extended coverage of practitioners to include Boal, Meisner, Michael Chekhov and Jonathan Fox; updated assessments of Keith Johnstone, Eugenio Barba, Dario Fo, Jerzy Grotowski and Jacques Lecoq; extended coverage of women practitioners, non-western theatre, developments in ‘long form’ improvisation and live-action role play; and more practical examples with fuller descriptions.

Anthony Frost is Lecturer in Drama at University of East Anglia. He edited Theatre Theories (Pen & Inc 2000). Ralph Yarrow is Professor of Drama and Comparative Literature at University of East Anglia. He teaches across a broad range of courses and his publications include Indian Theatre (Routledge 2001) and Le Coq in Britain (ed. with Franc Chamberlain Routledge 2001).

Introduction * PART 1 WHO? MAJOR PRACTITIONERS OF IMPROVISATION * Improvisation in Traditional Drama * Improvisation in Alternative Drama * Beyond Drama ‘Paratheatre’ * PART 2 WHAT? THE PRACTICE OF IMPROVISATION: IMPROVISATION EXERCISES * Preparation * Working Together * Moving Towards Performance * Applied Improvisation Work * PART 3 WHY? THE MEANINGS OF IMPROVISATION: TOWARDS THE POETICS * Enriching the Communication of Meaning * Meaning and Performance * Notes * Bibliography * Index