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The Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy

Improvisation Manual
by
Matt Besser,

Ian Roberts
,
Matt Walsh
4.47 · Rating details · 799 ratings · 57 reviews

The Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual is a comprehensive guide to the
UCB style of long form comedy improvisation. Written by UCB founding members Matt Besser,
Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh, the manual covers everything from the basics of two person scene
work (with a heavy emphasis on finding "the game" of the scene), to the complexities of working
within ...more
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 Paperback, 384 pages
Published 2013 by The Comedy Council of Nicea LLC
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COMMUNITY REVIEWS
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Average rating4.47 ·
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· 799 ratings · 57 reviews

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Jul 07, 2013Keith Moser rated it

Recommends it for: anyone wanting to learn improv
Recommended to Keith by: the UCB Four
Shelves: education, 5-stars

Took me six & a half weeks but I finally finished this... More of a review to (eventually) follow...

[This "more of a review" is being written over a year after reading the book--totally forgot to come
back and write it]

Picked this book up at UCB during the Del Close Marathon last year a few weeks before it was
officially released. Of course, DCM15 wasn't meant to read improv manuals, it was meant to
watch a ton of improv. So I started the manual as I sat in line for shows, but didn't get far ...more

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Jun 03, 2014Rob Williams rated it

The Upright Citizens Brigade is the top improv school in America. Period. Many other great
institutions have had their heyday (Second City, IO, The Groundlings), but if you want to know
improv now you should study long form, and you should study with the masters. This book was
years in the making and gives a detailed explanation of their take on the art. Buy it, and then, if
you are lucky enough to live nearby, go take some classes and put your ego on the line. Also read
Truth in Comedy and the ...more

flag3 likes · Like · see review

Aug 26, 2018Fab Mackojc rated it

An excellent book on improvisational comedy. One I’d recommend to anyone looking to reinforce
what they're learning in improv classes and to better understand how to play in the UCB "game"
style. Great explanation of the basics but also covers a wide range of topics related to the art
form.

flag1 like · Like · see review

Oct 15, 2019Adam Lauver rated it

The Ethical Improviser

flag1 like · Like · see review

Oct 10, 2019Alejandro I Sanoja rated it

If you are doing Improv, and want to get better, you must read this book. Period.

It's a great reminder of the fundamentals and will help you figure out which are the areas/skills
that you should be working on to get better. I postponed reading this because the "Manual" in the
name made me think it was kind of a textbook-type book.

You'll get a LOT of exercises and ideas for drills that you can do to work on specific skills.

Flow: 4/5, sometimes it feels a bit overwhelming so it might take a 2-3 ...more

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Mar 16, 2015Rina rated it

I bought this book as a requirement for Improv101 at UCB. Lives up to its name as a manual—it
reads well but is not meant to be consumed cover to cover, rather, it should be explored and re-
explored over time.

flag1 like · Like · see review

Nov 03, 2016Carmen rated it

It's weird trying to boil something like improv down to a science, but these folks do it well. Highly
recommended to any performers and artists, especially those pursuing careers in the field.

flag1 like · Like · see review

Oct 03, 2013Lizzie rated it

Shelves: nonfiction, improv

Everything you could ever want in an improv textbook. Great design, straightforward language,
helpful examples and diagrams. A must have for your comedy library.

flag1 like · Like · see review

Jul 13, 2015Alexandra Davis added it

Read for the improv 101 class I'm taking at the UCB, it's such an interesting read, very helpful,
and doesn't feel textbook like at all. The cartoons and diagrams we're s'cute :)

flag2 likes · Like · see review

Mar 19, 2018Colin rated it

It's slightly hard to rate this, because in order to rate it properly, I would have to be an expert at
improv, and then wouldn't need? want? to read this book.

On the other hand, I have done a fair amount of improv, and the philosophy and teaching in this
book align with what has increasingly come to be my view of how improv should be done, and
includes a lot of exercises that will be useful and practical to help with teaching and development
as an improviser.

The book's layout is not perfect. ...more

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Feb 06, 2018Noah Marcus rated it

Before I had the confidence to start taking classes, I took a very studious approach to improv
comedy. I consulted as much 'text' on performing because I ironically wanted to be as prepared as
possible before stepping foot in an improvisational 101 class. This book is a monster of a manual,
able to pull the curtain of this seemingly 'magical' artform. Matt Besser, Matt Walsh, and Ian
Roberts doing an absolutely terrific job at making some of the most abstract concepts completely
digestible. I ...more

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Jun 02, 2018Marie Fouhey rated it

Amy Poehler suggested reading this book in her memoir "Yes Please" which I liked. I didn't
realize there were "rules" for creating improvizational comedy, but this book provides techniques
that the authors suggest for successful improv. They also repeatedly stress that improvization is a
group effort and its important to listen to your fellow performers. They offer examples of both
good and bad attempts to use their techniques. The good examples are really funny. I think you
have to be a sort of ...more

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Oct 04, 2017Jason Luna rated it

This book is only really for people who are performing improv or are coaching improv. It's far too
repetitive and drill based to really work for a casual fan of UCB or improv in general.

That being said, it's a very thoughtful and helpful book that works through all the steps of
performing improv comedy. As a performer going through training simultaneously, I thought it
did a good job capturing the process and inspiring thought in me of the improv.

A must have for any performer.

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Apr 23, 2019Daniel Te rated it

This was one of the first books that I read when going into improv, and it is bar none, the greatest
guide on improvisation out there right now. So comprehensive, colorfully drawn, and from the
experts at UCB, it is well-designed and insightful into the mindsets behind improv. I found that a
lot of the mindsets that I cultivated in this book still influence me in everyday life. I would even
recommend this as a casual read for non-improvisers, but a must-read for every improv actor.

flag Like · see review

May 05, 2017Noah Talon rated it

A must-read for anyone attempting comedic improv of any kind and especially longform. This
tome is densely packed full of critical strategies, guidelines, and techniques by which to achieve
the highest levels of improv fluency.

I found the book works best if you already have some experience with improv and/or are
currently practicing several times a week. Otherwise, give it a quick glance, pull the exercises,
practice with friends, and then really dive in. Enjoy!

flag Like · see review

Jul 01, 2017Joshua rated it

Good use of multiple examples to illustrate different elements of performance. I especially

appreciated the breakdowns of heightening vs exploring in scenes.

Nitpick unrelated to content: hopefully future editions will be printed on paper with coated
surface that is less reflective. That is some shiny shiny paper that is hard to read under overhead
lights of any kind.

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Mar 27, 2019Samantha Prosser rated it

so much information compiled in so many different ways! anyone can find something to love in
this book. i enjoyed the more shortform Tips & Tricks type sections, but there were diagrams that
proved super useful and i’ll definitely refer back to the lengthier explanations of more heady
concepts.

(yes it took me six months to finish this, yes i have adhd, yes i’m an improv expert now.)

flag Like · see review

Aug 25, 2019Ashley added it

Read this alongside a UCB improv course. Goes over the foundation, the game, and includes lots
of warm ups and examples of what not to do. Plus illustrations! Would be good for aspiring
teachers, not just students.

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Feb 20, 2019Ivan rated it

Great book with great insight and examples. I couldn't use the book to it's full extent ad I didn't
do it in conjunction with practice but Incan see the value it provides and it has made watching
improv more enjoyable for me as I can analyze it a bit better as an artform.

flag Like · see review

May 09, 2018Todd H. McCauley rated it

To be honest, this was no easy read. it had its interesting sections but it was also confusing in
sections. I'm glad I read it once, I would not like to read it again.

flag Like · see review

Jul 30, 2018An Te Chu rated it

Very helpful, a surprising amount of sports analogies.

flag Like · see review

Jun 17, 2018Melissa Alcazar rated it

The most educational and practical method to learn improv. Especially while taking classes at
UCB

flag Like · see review

Aug 18, 2019Kenny Stevenson rated it

Just read this book again. It’s great and a must read for any current or hopeful improviser.

flag Like · see review

Apr 07, 2019Jenni rated it

Terrific companion book to any improv class. It helps you reflect on the improv rules and
enforces why they are strong choices.

flag Like · see review

Aug 06, 2017Raphael Poch rated it

A very in depth guide to learning and teaching improv. Even though I took classes at UCB and
other locations, I found this very helpful in order to lead my improv team here in Jerusalem.

flag Like · see review

Oct 06, 2017pianogal rated it

Shelves: non-fiction, 2017-reads

Liked the first part better than the last part, b/c it was more applicable to what I was doing. But I
think that, overall, this one is good.

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Jan 03, 2017Paul Lyons rated it

"The Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual" is a valuable resource for the
improvisation students at the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) training center, as well as anyone
who has an interest in learning the fundamental tools of the trade when it comes to performance
improv. In 382 pages, UCB veterans Matt Besser Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh lay out the rules of
what makes a good improv performance, and what exercises and games will help the improviser
improve his/her craft.
As with ...more

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Jan 12, 2016Jonathan Lorenzo rated it

Like all self-improvement books, it's only interesting to those wanting to improve there craft.
That's why I chose to pick up this book. You're not going to go to a bookstore and pick this book
unless you intend to improv. Those people who may want to at least understand the art form
might also pick it up. I let a friend borrow it because he didn't have a book for his next class (this
is when I thought I lost the book by the way). When he gave it back to me, he questioned why I
was reading it ...more

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Aug 30, 2015Mia rated it

I read this improv manual after I became intrigued by standup comedy this summer. It explicates
the rules and common misconceptions actors make about comedy.
i absolutely loved this book. I found the organization of this manual very handy, because
information of examples, specific games and exercises can be easily found after reading the book
all the way through. With the use of easily read visuals and step by step exercises, the book was
easily comprehended by me in a way that I believe i could ...more

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Jan 21, 2014Chloe Moon rated it

A wonderful, well-presented, and clearly-thought-through approach to improv and comedy.

Contains plentiful exercises as well, which makes it a good improv-practice-group guide.

Unfortunately, the book is a bit repetitive, dry, condescending, and repetitive. But if you want a
solid understanding of terminology and a good framework for thinking about improv, this is a
great start. I've never found more clear definitions and approaches to concepts like the game of
the scene, crazytown, believable ...more

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