Keith Johnstone: A Critical Biography

Description

Keith Johnstone entered the Royal Court Theatre as a new playwright in 1956: a decade later he emerged as a groundbreaking director and teacher of improvisation. His decisive book Impro (1979), described Johnstone’s unique system of training: weaving together theories and techniques to encourage spontaneous, collaborative creation using the intuition and imagination of the actors. Johnstone has since become world-renowned, inspiring theatre greats and beginners alike; and his work continues to influence practice within and beyond the traditional theatre. Theresa Robbins Dudeck is the first author to rigorously examine Johnstone's life and career using a combination of archival documents – many from Johnstone's personal collection – participant observation, and interviews with Johnstone, his colleagues and former students. Keith Johnstone: A Critical Biography is a fascinating journey through the physical spaces that have served as Johnstone's transformative classrooms, and into the conceptual spaces which inform his radical pedagogy and approach to artistic work. Title Page Copyright Page Contents Acknowledgments Chapter 1 Introducing Keith Johnstone and his Impro System Chapter 2 The formative years First forays in teaching Waiting for Godot The Royal Court Theatre—A “school” for playwrights Chapter 3 All the world is a classroom The Royal Court Theatre Studio Johnstone’s last season at the Royal Court The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art The Theatre Machine Johnstone teaches beyond Britain Theatre Machine back at the Court and Johnstone’s courtship Johnstone and Eugenio Barba The Last Bird in Copenhagen Emigration Chapter 4 The master teacher in the university classroom O Canada! Johnstone’s new home Johnstone’s first staging of Godot The University of Calgary Production work at the University of Calgary Johnstone’s legacy at the University of Calgary Chapter 5 From classroom to world stage: The Loose Moose Theatre Company The Loose Moose Theatre Company Unsportsmanlike conduct Impro and Theatresports in Sweden Festival of Fools in New York and treated like fools in Quebec Back home Conflict and closure—Beyond and within Transitions The Loose Moose today Chapter 6 What now? What comes next? What classrooms still remain? Johnstone—The reluctant guru Johnstone’s international workshops—Ideal for who? Improbable’s Life Game and Rebecca Northan’s Blind Date Impro hot on stages and in classrooms of Latin America Impro beyond the theatre classroom What comes next? What classrooms still remain? Bibliogrphy Index