Mick Napier wanted to see a clown fight a drag queen. That’s it. He had no music, no script, and a cast with a grand total of two shows under its collective belt, the second of which was a critical and commercial disaster. His theatre wasn’t even sure of its name yet and on the verge of collapse. The surprising result: the longest running musical in the history of Chicago. For a generation of comics and improvisers, Co-Ed Prison Sluts redefined what could be done onstage. The distinct brand of anarchic satirical comedy heavily influenced Chicago improvisation and consequently contemporary American comedy. From April 1988 through June 2000, The Annoyance Theatre’s Co-Ed Prison Sluts played every weekend to packed houses that became addicted to the company’s subversive themes, filthy language, and catchy songs.
Although improvisational theatre has exploded onto the theatrical landscape over the past fifty years, it remains relatively unknown and misunderstood. Three recent improv texts seek to clarify the art form. Tom Smith's The Other Blocking provides a basic theoretical and practical introduction to improv that is perfect for the beginning performer or instructor; Jeanne Leep's Theatrical Improvisation offers a more detailed and thorough theoretical and historical investigation of performance improvisation that is a must-have for those looking for more advanced academic or professional study; while Mary Scruggs and Michael Gellman's Process offers an advanced how-to guide geared toward the seasoned professional performer and/or teacher.
Although improvisational theatre has exploded onto the theatrical landscape over the past fifty years, it remains a rather ambiguously understood form. As author Jeanne Leep says, “improvisation remains a difficult term to define in the theatre community, as it means different things to different theatre artists, all of whom might claim, and rightly so, to use improvisation in their work” (1). Many theatre artists and scholars still only recognize improv as a rehearsal technique, a character building tool, a means to generate scripted work, or simply as a way to save a scene when an actor forgets a line. Throw in choreographers, filmmakers, standup comics and other artists who utilize improv and it’s easy to get lost in the labyrinth. Leep’s Theatrical Improvisation aims to clarify our understanding of improvisational theatre by analyzing performative improv in each of its three main genres: short form, long form and sketch.
The Players Journal, Vol. 2, No 1, September 2009
Theatrical Improvisation Book Review - The Players Journal
