TAKE IT EASY’s thematic design was created by the wonderful Eva Carp

 

There are two weeks left in the crowdfunding campaign for my book. So timewise we’re halfway there, but fundraising-wise we’re well past our original goal! The campaign is at www.takeiteasy.tips if you’d like to check it out.

With 14 days left and orders still coming in, I thought I’d address a couple of questions I’ve been getting about the book: what’s it about, what is it like, why did you write it?

  • What’s it about?
  • What is it like?
  • Why did you write it?

I guess that’s three questions. Here are the three answers.

This could be you: cup of coffee and a great book

What’s TAKE IT EASY™ about?

This is not an ‘introduction to improv’ book, nor is it a how-to manual. TAKE IT EASY™ is a collection of thoughts and observations designed to enrich the reader’s perspective on the craft of theatrical improvisation. The stories, ideas, insights, and exercises it contains are there to both be an entertaining read and help the reader be a better more fulfilled player onstage and off. It also includes games and exercises for people to do on their own or to bring to their group, in order to spread the spirit of taking it easy.

It also includes games and exercises for people to do on their own or to bring to their group, in order to spread the spirit of relaxed commitment. If you’re not (yet) an improviser, it’ll give you some insights into the way an improviser thinks. And perhaps even inspire you to embark on your own improv journey.

 

What is the book like?

TAKE IT EASY™ is not a textbook. It’s a light and entertaining read, underpinned by a clear philosophy (TAKE IT EASY™). It’s aimed at improv players and performers who have mastered the fundamentals – and maybe even gone well-beyond – perhaps even performing regularly. The goal of the book is that those who read it get some insights into how to get better results without having to work so hard.

As Bruce Lee said “The less effort, the faster and more powerful you will be.”

This quote touches quite the core of the TAKE IT EASY™ approach. For those who want to work harder and be clever and get noticed and be the “best”, this won’t work for you; this isn’t your book. But for those who want to be able to glide into the work and get more out of it while making a bigger contribution while having more fun, this is for you.

Don’t work harder, work smarter (and remember to TAKE IT EASY™).

I love talking about my book. Ask me and you’ll see!

Why I wrote TAKE IT EASY™

When I first came up with the idea to write this book it was because I was teaching workshops around Europe, and I kept noticing that a lot of the weaknesses of the participants were repeating themselves. Whether in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Vienna, London or elsewhere, I was working with players who were trying too hard and getting in the way of their own success.

Ironically, this is especially true of the people who love improv the most, those who are the most dedicated and tireless. Because it means so much to them, they naturally try as hard as they can. There are helpful elements in all this effort, but it can tend to undercut the scenework itself. So I started sourcing and devising exercises that would help people get away from struggling, from trying to keep principles and complicated theories in their heads, and instead just trust themselves to play

So I started sourcing and devising exercises that would help people get away from trying so hard, in order to allow them to relax and actually play better; to learn to trust themselves to play in the moment.

The workshop was very popular, and I realized that it touched on a lot of other elements of improvisation. It started to come together into a broader idea of really taking it easy.

So I set to writing a book. That was a couple years ago (turns out writing a book is a lot of work). But now it’s done!

Order your copy at www.takeiteasy.tips