Theatrical Improvisation, Consciousness, and Cognition

by Clay Drinko

Improvisation teachers have long known that the human mind could be trained to be effortlessly spontaneous and intuitive. Drinko explores what these improvisation teachers knew about improvisation's effects on consciousness and cognition and compares these theories to current findings in cognitive neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy.

Genres: Theatre

141 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Clay Drinko, Ph.D. is an educator and the author of Play Your Way Sane: 120 Improv-Inspired Exercises to Help You Calm Down, Stop Spiraling, and Embrace Uncertainty and Theatrical Improvisation, Consciousness, and Cognition. He's also a regular contributor for Psychology Today, Lifehack, and www.PlayYourWaySane.com.

Reviews

[C.E. G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This looks at recent (as of 2013) research on cognition and consciousness and how that might relate to the improv traditions of Viola Spolin, Del Close, and Keith Johnstone. As someone still sort of new to improv, I appreciated the introductions to the philosophies of Spolin, Close, and Johnstone (I vibed with what he said about Spolin the most - Del Close and Keith Johnstone seemed kind of cranky and unhappy). There was some good improv advice, even though that wasn't the purpose of the book, like from Keith Johnstone "you look back when you get stuck, instead of looking forward.” And I mostly found interesting the discussions of improv and flow, altered states of consciousness, fMRIs, empathy and group mind. Since a lot of the brain science is now almost 10 years old, and based on studies of jazz musicians and freestyle rappers rather than improvisers, I'd love to read an update or something more recent.