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One of my childhood heroes, Alan Alda starred in MASH. In this clip he is talking about a specific application of improvisation skills.  I can’t explain it better, but I will try.

Improvised theatre has a long tradition, and can be traced back to the Commedia dell’Arte of medieval Italy and beyond.  Australia has its own tradition of performance improvisation ranging from live television performers in the mould of Graham Kennedy and Bert Newton, to dance and movement improvisation companies, and jazz improvisors.

Since 2005 I’ve performed a Danny Kaye tribute show.  He is fading from the memories of those who saw him at his peak in the 1940’s and 50’s. Audiences of the day adored his crazy antics on stage and film.  He had (and still has) legions of loyal fans. In 1950 he was acknowledged as the greatest entertainer in the world. He had tightly rehearsed songs and routines, but he improvised A LOT. Audiences knew they were ALIVE because his interaction with them was so unpredictable, and so joyous as a result – because he PLAYED.