Impro

A shorthand term for improvisation, widely used in British and European theatre contexts. The term is most closely associated with Keith Johnstone's foundational 1979 book, Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre, which presents a range of practical techniques, exercises, and ideas for spontaneous performance. Johnstone followed this with Impro for Storytellers (1999), which extended his pedagogical framework into narrative structure and Theatresports coaching. Together, these two volumes established "Impro" not merely as an abbreviation but as a distinct pedagogical lineage rooted in Johnstone's philosophy of status transactions, spontaneity, and the removal of creative blocks. The term carries particular weight in British, European, and Australian circles, where Johnstone's influence shaped training programs independently of the Chicago and New York traditions. In France, the supervised translation of Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre helped spread Johnstone's methods across French-speaking theatre communities. Drama educators frequently recommend Impro as essential reading for advanced skills in areas such as narrative, status work, and mask technique. Outside the Johnstone tradition, "impro" sometimes appears as a generic colloquial shortening of "improvisation," particularly in UK and Commonwealth usage, though the association with Johnstone's body of work remains dominant.