Rest of the Iceberg
The idea that a well-drawn character implies a complete human being beyond what is visible in the scene. The audience should sense that a character has a life outside the scene, opinions on subjects not discussed, and a history that informs their behavior. The "rest of the iceberg" exists beneath the surface of what is shown.
Further Reading
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The Improvisation Game
Discovering the Secrets of Spontaneous Performance
Chris Johnston
Comedy and Distinction
The Cultural Currency of a 'Good' Sense of Humour
Sam Friedman
Improvising Real Life
Personal Story in Playback Theatre
Jo Salas
Theatre of the Oppressed
Augusto Boal
Action Theater
The Improvisation of Presence
Ruth Zaporah
Impro
Improvisation and the Theatre
Keith Johnstone
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Rest of the Iceberg. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/learn-improv/concepts/rest-of-the-iceberg
The Improv Archive. "Rest of the Iceberg." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/learn-improv/concepts/rest-of-the-iceberg.
The Improv Archive. "Rest of the Iceberg." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/learn-improv/concepts/rest-of-the-iceberg. Accessed March 17, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.