Truth in Comedy

by Del Close, Charna Halpern, Kim Johnson, et al.

Book Overview

Want to learn the improv techniques that helped Mike Myers, Chris Farley, John Belushi, and many others along the road to TV and film stardom? Then let two esteemed founders of long-form improvisational theatre, Del Close and Charna Halpern, teach you the "Harold." This groundbreaking acting exercise emphasizes pattern recognition and subversion of the audience's expectations, which are important factors for making people laugh without ever telling...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1566080037
• ISBN13: 9781566080033
• Release Date: April 1994
• Publisher: Meriwether Publishing
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.54 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.7"

Customer Reviews

The Truth is always funnier

This is a great primer for anyone interested in improv. I had been in a few sketch/improv groups and the general rule was to always go for the cheap laugh. As far as "rules" we really didn't have any or knew that any existed. After finding and reading Charna's book, our little minds were blown. There were rules after all, such as "never deny" your fellow actor, no matter what subject or direction they throw at you. Sticking to the 'truth' is much funnier than going for the cheap laugh. Using the "Harold" made you grow in leaps and bounds in terms of your own creative thinking as well as learning how your fellow performers tended to think. We were all so blown away by this book that we invited Charna to town to conduct a seminar for us, which she graciously agreed to do. I highly recommend this book, not only for anyone interested in improv, but basic acting as well. That's the truth.

The Review

I've been doing improv comedy on and off for about two years now, and I can honestly say that this book is the best one I've read on the topic. Reading Truth in Comedy is the next best thing to actually being on stage. Now I find myself "looking for the game" in a given scene and doing other such techniques advised by Charna Halpern and Del Close; two veterans, to say the least, of improv. I've read the book three times now and every time I pick up something new, it's just a book that keeps on giving! Besides being very informative this book also is quite entertaining. I recomend buying this book whether you have and interest in improv or not.

This book is a MUST for any aspiring Improv Artist!

The late Del Close was a legend in comedy circles - and for good reasons. The techniques he developed with Charna Halpern emphasizes that comedy should not be forced; it should come honestly from situations that are present. Forced comedy is never funny. Too bad a lot of these sitcom writers today don't know that (I mean have you ever watched Two Guys and A Girl?). I wished that I could've studied with Del but this book is definitely close enough for me. If you're thinking of going into Improv, then definitely get this book. You'll learn a lot.

A great book for any improver

This book is an excellent way of learning the basic skills of improv, which are more important than any one game or form. As for the 'Harold' my improv group uses it as our signature game, and, over the last 15 years, have found it to be a rewarding and challenging improv expierence. This book is the best of its kind because it avoids all of the flaky theater stuff and gets to the point.

The improv manual you're looking for

Folks, there are two kinds of improv - the annoying kind and the enjoyable kind. This book is the only description of the enjoyable kind now in print. It's simple, straightforward and funny, and may change the whole way you think about comedy and theatrical presentations. The bad kind of improv, that is, the short, "we're under great pressure to be funny here" kind that leads to some clever punch-line on which lights are blacked out, is described in numerous books. The Harold, or long-form, is where it's at, as anyone who's seen both kinds of improv will tell you. (It's a shame the form is rarely practiced outside of Chicago.) Watching it is pure pleasure, because you're seeing players who support each other perform at the top of their intelligence and creativity. And doing it, well, there's nothing like it. This book will get you started