Comparing Ipro And Improv Wisdom

Having not taken TAPS 103, I decided to read the books for the course, Impro and Improv Wisdom so I would be up to date for 104. Although I have done improv for six years, I had never read a book on improv, so this was a new experience for me to read about what I have only learned about in practice. Impro by Keith Johnstone and Improv Wisdome by Patricia Madson are two very different books that both offer key insights on not only the best practices of improv, but also the role of improv in our lives. Impro begins with Johnstone describing his own life and his personal journey to improv. Just from the beginnings of the first chapter, I could tell Johnstone thought about life and comedy in a very different way than most people do, but that way of thinking has led him to make astounding observations about both. …show more content…
Johnstone’s negative educational experiences as well as his learning in the world of theater not only led him to teaching improv but also illuminated many aspects of human nature to him. I found the chapter on status especially interesting from the perspectives of an actor, improviser, and a human. I was intrigued by the fact Johnstone began with status to introduce his improv teaching rather than spontaneity, specifically “saying yes”, like Madson does. It signaled to me that Johnstone believes that everything put on a stage is grounded in status; it drives everything from relationships, to characters, to dialogue, to movement. While I’ve done status exercises, it’s never been something at the forefront of my mind in an improv scene, although now