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The Principles of Comedy Improv

Truths, Tales, and How to Improvise

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The Principles of Comedy Improv

By: Tom Blank, Jennifer Coolidge - foreword
Narrated by: Tom Blank
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About this listen

The Principles of Comedy Improv is an authoritative handbook for beginners and experts alike. More than just entertainment, improv’s tenets enable you to change every moment of your life. Your guide is Tom Blank, who crystallizes two decades of experience to convey improv in unparalleled scope, depth, and fun.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Tom Blank (P)2026 Tom Blank Performing Arts Comedy Entertainment
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Ironically this tries too hard to be funny at the expense of maintaining a coherent message. It sorely needs editing.

It is also very theoretical and goes into almost too much detail on defining terms that in practice is not needed.

There are too many long and pointless stories that detract and distract from the substance.

The opening is a tortured long story of sailing and an unsuccessful attempt to link it to Improv.

Later there is a long long story about lumberjacks and while they dreamt of bricks all they needed was what they had: wood.

Then a metaphor about using the large hadron collider to deconstruct a moment. I switched off listening to this and missed the actual substance of what the components are.

This audiobook does cover useful content and does eventually explain a lot of improv theory so it might be a useful supplement to other books.

However I would not recommend this as a first listen. Instead I would strongly recommend the Upright citizens brigade handbook instead as it is more to the point and includes practical examples.

I've given it four stars as three seemed mean. 3.5 is probably more like it.

Too much filler

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