Del Close (Books)

Del Close Books

Del Close was a pivotal figure in American improvisational theater, acting as a coach to many prominent comedians and comic actors of the late twentieth century. His influence extended beyond performance into pedagogy and writing, notably co-authoring 'Truth in Comedy,' which codified techniques still foundational to longform improvisation and introduced the 'Harold' structure. Close also explored scripted theater and penned comics, demonstrating a versatile artistic vision that shaped modern comedic performance.

Truth in Comedy

4.1(77)Add rating

The 'Harold', an innovative improvisational tool, helped many actors on the road to TV and film stardom, including George Wendt (Norm on Cheers). Now it is described fully in this new book for would-be actors and comics. The 'Harold' is a form of competitive improv involving 6 or 7 players. They take a theme suggestion from the audience and 'free associate' on the theme into a series of rapid-fire one-liners that build into totally unpredictable skits with hilarious results. The 'Harold' is a fun way to 'loosen up' and learn to think quickly, build continuity, develop characterisations and sharpen humour.