Improv for Actors

Dan Diggles' Improv for Actors is a rigorous and highly practical manual that return the art of improvisation to its foundational role in traditional actor training. Published in 2004, the book reflects Diggles' deep experience as a performer and teacher at the renowned Allworth Press. While many contemporary improv books focus on 'getting a laugh' or 'building a sketch,' Improv for Actors is a training guide for the 'serious' performer: one who want to use unscripted techniques to achieve deeper emotional truth, vocal range, and physical presence in both scripted and unscripted work.

The work is organized methodically, moving from the 'self' to 'the partner' and finally to 'the ensemble'. Diggles provide a series of exercises that cover the core pillars of the craft: including sensory awareness, active listening, character physicality, and vocal variation. The book is particularly noted for its focus on 'The Point of Concentration' and its relationship to 'The Void': urging the actor to find their inspiration in the immediate reality of the space rather than in pre-planned 'bits' or 'feelings.' He provide a detailed guide on how to 'Yes, And' to the environment, the architecture, and the silence of the stage. The text emphasize 'commitment over invention', teaching the actor that truth is found in the reaction rather than the action.

The text is written in a clear, instructional, and characteristically 'actor-focused' voice. It include detailed scripts for facilitators on how to side-coach students through the 'blocks' of judgment and fear. Improv for Actors serve as a vital companion for any serious student of the craft and a primary reference for those committed to the mastery of the 'embodied' performer. It remains one of the most comprehensive guides to the intersection of improvisational theory and professional acting technique.

Improv for Actors has been hailed as one of the most 'useful' and 'rigorous' books in the field of contemporary actor training. Reviewers often praise Dan Diggles for his clarity and for his refusal to rely on the 'easy clichés' of improv comedy. The book's focus on 'concentration' and 'somatic presence' is frequently cited as its major strength. It is regarded as an essential 'textbook' for any drama department or individual committed to the serious art of the unscripted moment.