If This Is True What Else Is True
A scene-building philosophy from the iO Chicago tradition that guides improvisers to explore the logical implications of their premises. If a character is afraid of his own shadow, what else might be true about him? This question drives heightening by expanding the game laterally rather than simply repeating the same joke with more intensity.
Further Reading
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Pirate Robot Ninja
An Improv Fable
Billy Merritt; Will Hines
The Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual
Matt Besser; Ian Roberts; Matt Walsh
Acting Through Improv
Improv Through Theatresports
Lynda Belt; Rebecca Stockley
Improvisation the Michael Chekhov Way
Active Exploration of Acting Techniques
Wil Kilroy
Something from Nothing
The Technique of Improvisation
Richard Goteri
A Subversive's Guide to Improvisation
Moving Beyond "Yes, and"
David Razowsky
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). If This Is True What Else Is True. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/learn-improv/concepts/if-this-is-true-what-else-is-true
The Improv Archive. "If This Is True What Else Is True." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/learn-improv/concepts/if-this-is-true-what-else-is-true.
The Improv Archive. "If This Is True What Else Is True." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/learn-improv/concepts/if-this-is-true-what-else-is-true. Accessed March 17, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.