![\"41YcJuAKEuL\"](\"http:\/\/impro.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/41YcJuAKEuL.jpg\")
I enjoyed a recent meeting with Gary Peters, author of\u00a0The Philosophy of Improvisation<\/a>, when I discovered that he describes himself as an \u2018ironist\u2019.\u00a0 That makes his book, which is mostly impenetrable academic jargon, jammed with indigestibly lengthy sentences, a lot more approachable.\u00a0 I just picked out the bits that resonated with me, such as his insight that the work of any improvisation is both demanded and limited by the materials provided.<\/p>\nAnd it was the same with his talk at the\u00a0Transdisciplinary Improvisation Network<\/a>\u00a0at\u00a0Middlesex University<\/a>.\u00a0 Brace yourselves, please, as I do my best to reflect on his reflections.\u00a0 He made a distinction between \u2018talking about\u2019 and \u2018talking\u2019.\u00a0 Talking about is when you are asked (perhaps at an interview) to discuss a particular topic, probably following an agenda.\u00a0 This is different from talking, when there\u2019s no special requirement, and improvising happens.\u00a0 What turns out is whatever happens to emerge.<\/p>\n It starts from nothingness, the confrontation with an empty space, and filling it up with something.\u00a0 Given an empty space, we have an impulse to come up with something, almost an obligation.\u00a0 In writing, the equivalent is seeing where your words take you from one sentence to the next.\u00a0 While it may turn out that there was little of worth in the output \u2013 or perhaps even that there was nothing to know – that doesn\u2019t devalue the activity or the effort.\u00a0 Nice, eh?<\/p>\n Cheers, Paul<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][et_pb_row_inner admin_label=”Row” custom_padding=”0px|||” padding_mobile=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off” column_padding_mobile=”on” make_equal=”off” parallax_1=”off” parallax_method_1=”off”][et_pb_column_inner type=”4_4″ saved_specialty_column_type=”2_3″][et_pb_divider color=”#dddddd” show_divider=”on” divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” hide_on_mobile=”on” custom_css_main_element=”margin-bottom: 0px;” \/][et_pb_comments _builder_version=”3.0.105″ show_avatar=”on” show_reply=”on” show_count=”on” background_layout=”light” header_font_size_tablet=”51″ header_line_height_tablet=”2″ custom_button=”off” button_icon_placement=”right” \/][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_slider admin_label=”CTA Slider” _builder_version=”3.0.65″ show_arrows=”off” show_pagination=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” remove_inner_shadow=”on” custom_button=”off” button_letter_spacing=”0″ button_icon_placement=”right” button_letter_spacing_hover=”0″ auto=”on” auto_ignore_hover=”off” hide_content_on_mobile=”off” hide_cta_on_mobile=”off” show_image_video_mobile=”off” module_class=”cta-slider” auto_speed=”7000″ saved_tabs=”all” global_module=”3536″][et_pb_slide background_color=”#ffffff” use_background_color_gradient=”off” background_color_gradient_start=”#2b87da” background_color_gradient_end=”#29c4a9″ background_color_gradient_type=”linear” background_color_gradient_direction=”180deg” background_color_gradient_direction_radial=”center” background_color_gradient_start_position=”0%” background_color_gradient_end_position=”100%” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” background_position=”center” background_size=”cover” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend=”normal” allow_player_pause=”off” use_bg_overlay=”off” use_text_overlay=”off” text_border_radius=”3″ alignment=”center” background_layout=”dark” header_font_select=”default” header_font=”||||” body_font_select=”default” body_font=”||||” custom_button=”off” button_font_select=”default” button_font=”||||” button_use_icon=”default” button_icon_placement=”right” button_on_hover=”on”]<\/p>\n