I met up with Jill Bernard at Black Box Improv Festival here in Atlanta this past weekend and had the pleasure to swap stories and theories with both her and Robert Lowe. After a brief exchange on the limitations of judgement I mentioned to her that I had a copy of her book that was given to me by my friend Sacha Dzuba just a few hours before. I assumed since I agreed with her in conversational theory of life and art in Improv that I would feel the same way about her book. It is entitled “Jill Bernard’s Small Cute Book of Improv” and from the cover you would not expect too much serious hard core improv insight. On Sunday while I was recovering from Saturday night’s late hour and strange brews I cracked the cover of this pamphlet sized writ.
Let me just say I was FLOORED. In 17 pages she really covers quite a lot of ground… The first 3 pages discuss her philosophy of “Yay!” the last 6 are short essays covering a large range of improv topics and the middle 8 pages lay out for the reader an awesome character creation technique called “VAPAPO.”
This book passed my test in the search for truth in improv and life… this was not only encouraging, supportive and fun but it also snuck in several slap in the face moments to those that are abusing this great craft. Jill’s focus seems to be mostly getting people to believe in themselves, drop judgment by the wayside and play!
Excited and want a copy? Click Here.
I will definitely use this book as a tool in future work and will be placing this one quote from the book in large print on our theatre wall:
Know that you are right.
Know that you are good.
Know that you knew how to do this when you were six years old, other stuff just got in the way.
Play.
~Jill Bernard
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