Will Hines. Improv Nonsense (Substack). willhines.substack.com. Ongoing.
The most prolific contemporary writer on improv pedagogy. Hines was a longtime UCB teacher and performer who has evolved past some UCB orthodoxies while retaining the vocabulary. His Substack is the closest thing to a living improv textbook.
Key posts referenced in this knowledge graph:
- "Accepting Offers" — facts must be accepted; opinions can be adjusted
- "Rewrite History" — changeability as rewriting the past, not just accepting the present
- "Getting Out of Your Head on the Back-Line" — three techniques for presence: Super Listen, Super Watch, Label Real Emotions
- "Can I Be Honest With You?" — honesty as a scene tool
- "Comedy Principles" — meta-principles including presence, game, and play
- "The Harold Has Too Many Scenes" — the structural critique of Harold
- "Do Openings Ruin Improv?" — the case against openings
- "Are Notes After Improv Shows Worth It?" — feedback philosophy
Value to the graph: Hines represents the bridge between formalized UCB pedagogy and the organic, intuition-based approach of iO and Annoyance traditions. His writing consistently interrogates received wisdom while respecting the traditions it came from.