Behind the Scenes

Mick Napier's Behind the Scenes: Improvising Long Form serves as the highly anticipated follow-up to his revolutionary first book, Improvise. Published in 2015, this volume takes Napier's blunt, contrarian approach and applies it specifically to the challenges of long-form improv. As the founder of the Annoyance Theatre in Chicago and a veteran director of The Second City, Napier writes from a perspective that values individual agency, risk-taking, and the rejection of the 'safe' choices that often plague the form.

The book is a direct challenge to the idea that long-form must be a rigid or precious intellectual exercise. Napier argues that the 'Group Mind' is often used as a crutch to avoid taking personal responsibility for a scene. He urges performers to be more selfish: not in the sense of 'hogging' the stage, but in the sense of bringing their own strong, weird, and honest choices to the work. The text provides a detailed critique of the 'standard' way long-form is taught and offers a series of Annoyance-style exercises designed to help performers trust their impulses and avoid the 'paralysis of analysis.'

A significant portion of the book is dedicated to the role of the Director. Napier shares the wisdom gained from directing dozens of original, unscripted shows, providing insights into how to guide a cast without stifling their creativity. He looks at the technical demands of creating long-form shows that are both artistically satisfying and genuinely theatrical, moving beyond the simple 'Harold-plus-scenes' model. Behind the Scenes is both a technical manual and a call to arms for improvisers to stop 'doing it right' and start doing it with passion.

Behind the Scenes has been widely celebrated for its honesty, its humor, and its refreshing lack of pretension. Mick Napier is regarded as one of the few true 'punks' of the improv world, and this book captures his unique voice perfectly. Critics praise the text for its practical, 'in-the-trenches' advice and its ability to cut through the jargon of the improv industry. It is considered an essential companion to Improvise and a must-read for any improviser who wants their work to feel truly alive.