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Rating: 
Summary: A nice scene generator, but no replacement for your brain
Review: Designed for serious theater improv the scenes here are easily tweaked for comedy improv if that's more to your liking.The examples are well organized into boss/worker, parent/child, cop/perp, and so on. Their dramatized version may read "Actor 1: you are a teenager who MUST get the family car to go to a huge party all your friends will be at. Actor 2: you are a parent and upset with your child's irresponsible actions, stand firm and make them stay home tonight." A great setup for drama. For comedy improv, just toss out actor two's motivations, but keep the relationship (and it's all "yes, and..." from there). "Dad, I *have* to get the car tonight for this party." "Sure, son! Here are the keys. You drive, because I am really going to drink tonight. Gosh, I haven't been to a party since my college days! I'll call your Mom and have her meet us there."
Rating: 
Summary: A most valuable resource for actors, directors, and teachers
Review: In my twenty-one years as a teacher of theater, I have found few books as valuable as this one. The book provides hundreds of interesting and challenging improvisation situations which have functioned to tap the most creative impulses my students have to offer. The situations have inspired my student actors to explore complexities of character conflict and motivational objectives that they don't often realize exist. I also found the chapter on using improvisation in play direction very worthwhile. I now use the author's suggestions during rehearsals for every play I direct, and my actors benefit greatly. No collection of books on acting, directing, or teaching theater is complete without this one. I give it my highest recommendation.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring... not for those looking for fun improv
Review: My boss ordered this book in hopes that it would be helpful in preparing for "fun" improv activities at a summer camp he will be teaching at. Unfortunately, this book was dry and boring... the scenes suggested were not something that would keep any child of any age interested... they were simply rehashes of situations that pop up in every day life. If you're looking for fun and games, this book isn't for you.
Rating:
Summary: This book kicks ass!!
Review: Philip Bernardi is easily one of the greatest living improvisational directors working in the U.S. today. I have actually had the honor of not only reading this book, which is truly informative and easy to use, as well as actually working with Mr. Bernardi himself, utilizing many of the tecniques he outlines in this volume. I'm sure many great things will come from this man, who is sure to go on to greatness
Rating:
Summary: A Fantastic Resource
Review: This book is an incredible value. There are, as the title indicates, hundreds of different improvisations. There are improvisations between coworkers, spouses, friends, salespeople/customers, managers/subordinates, and many more. There are also sections where scenes for one individual are introduced. In addition to the different improv situations, the author also includes instructions for teachers or instructors. I am not all that experienced with improvisation but this book makes it easy. Two thumbs up to Philip Bernardi for his excellent contribution to this area.
Rating: 
Summary: Improvisation Non Starters
Review: This wasn't very useful to me. It contains merely lists of possible conflicts and conversations one might base an improvisation around. The ideas arn't particularly imaginative and are nothing I or my students couldn't come up with ourselves.
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