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Improv Ideas - A Book of Games and Lists
Compiled, Created and Invented by Justine Jones and Mary Ann Kelley
Review by Karen Wighton, October 2011
Imagine a vast catalogue of creative prompts to save time for Drama teachers and recreation leaders in planning and preparation. This book is it, and has a place on the shelf of every library for Primary, Middle School and early Secondary teachers. It is chock-full of data needed at the ready for improvisations, storytelling and student-created scenework – providing possible situations, characters, emotions, stimulus, settings, and the like. There’s simply no need to reinvent the wheel; you’ll find useful inspiration, regardless of class or group size. The authors who have tested these ideas in classrooms over decades have also collaborated on curriculum guides. For every list, there's a game or activity, so this ample supply of suggestions is put into a relevant context. The games provide information on what skills are being developed, and practical hints are also given, such as time requirements, equipment needed and optimal numbers of players.
And here’s the best bit: the book also contains a CD-Rom, enabling printable PDF files of every list in the book! So not only is it packed with ideas and topics by renowned educators, but they have made these lists available in two electronic formats as well, ready to copy and cut apart – labels and print-and-cut-strips (12 to a page with cutting guides). It’s a generous 197 pages, though this is not a book you need to lug around to every lesson. The CD file name is given on the page for every list, so you can easily include printed copies of the relevant lists in whatever folder you organise for the unit or topic. Charts in the Appendix make it easy to find lists to suit a particular drama lesson and everything is cross-referenced, quite cleverly.
As to who might find this useful – here’s the gauge: if you needed to recall some Nursery Rhymes on which to base a class activity, could you name anywhere near 90 of them? One page in this book would enable that number from which to choose. Could you list 177 objects to use in a game or a mime activity? N for Nursery Rhymes, O for Objects - and then Obsessions and Occupations – 85 of these! The lists are alphabetical, and the book itself is arranged alphabetically. Flip open to find what you need, and the authors have done the planning for you. Words from the lists can be chosen appropriate to the players’ ages, skills and maturity. "Read and cull"; for yourself, they recommend, according to your own needs.
The ‘Teaching and Practice’ the text revolves around is organised according to the categories: Blocking and Conventions, Characterisation; Concentration; Creativity; Ensemble Acting: Following Directions: Group Dynamics: Listening and Silence; Memorisation; Non-vocal Communication; Observation; Physical Control; Plot Structure and Spontaneity, and all games and lists relate to one or more of these aims. Written to meet US educational theatrical Standards (Script Writing, Acting, Designing, Directing and Analysing), the content is entirely applicable as well to the Australian context due to the general nature of the content.
It would assist in developing the students’ vocabulary and general knowledge. Character Traits lists include not just those which come to mind easily - kind, tired, wise, shy, etc, but also numerous more challenging adjectives for characters, xenophobic (please explain), winsome, servile, audacious. What interesting characters might be developed as a result? Pages listing Historical Moments or Famous People would invite research into that dramatic context or identity. SPAR topics (Spontaneous Argumentation) would make great debating topics. Music for Puppet Choreography or ideas for Word Tennis may be just what you need, and Environments in Sound would be so useful in having students create soundscapes for group vocal work.
However you need to organise your activity, whatever the group size or your purpose - drama, storytelling, speech training, creative writing or as a rehearsal tool - this book shows that you will always need a list!