Keith Johnstone entered the Royal Court Theatre as a new playwright in 1956: a decade later he emerged as a groundbreaking director and teacher of improvisation. His decisive book Impro (1979), described Johnstone's unique system of training: weaving together theories and techniques to encourage spontaneous, collaborative creation using the intuition and imagination of the actors. Johnstone has since become world-renowned, inspiring theatre greats and beginners alike; and his work continues to influence practice within and beyond the traditional theatre. Theresa Robbins Dudeck is the first author to rigorously examine Johnstone’s life and career using a combination of archival documents – many from Johnstone’s personal collection – participant observation, and interviews with Johnstone, his colleagues and former students. Keith Johnstone: A Critical Biography is a fascinating journey through the physical spaces that have served as Johnstone’s transformative classrooms, and into the conceptual spaces which inform his radical pedagogy and approach to artistic work. "Keith Johnstone has unlocked the potential for human creativity more than anyone else that I've encountered. And his ideas are still a radical challenge to what it means to educate or be educated. So it's great to finally have a book that lays out Keith's ideas and puts them in the context of his life and times. Essential reading for artists, teachers or anyone who wants to be more fully alive." - Mark Ravenhill, Playwright "Keith Johnstone is so off-the-charts original and creative it's hard to express. He taught me more about secret human behaviors, status transactions, and how to employ them in my work than any other person in my life, with startling results. This book is a noteworthy contribution to the knowledge of this rare and wonderful man and is to be snatched up and digested immediately!" - Peter Coyote, Actor/Writer "Whether it's devising with Improbable, improvising with the Comedy Store Players, or directing at the Metropolitan Opera, every aspect of my work is profoundly influenced by Keith Johnstone's teaching. In this book, Dudeck offers a frank, inspiring account of Keith's path, articulates the deeply held passions at the centre of his methodology, and situates Keith and his work in its proper place: at the heart and creative wellspring of modern theatre." - Phelim McDermott, Director/Actor/Writer "Chronicling the mind and works of one of the great teachers of our age is no small task. Prof. Dudeck has given us a window into the world of Keith Johnstone's life and pedagogy. Attending Keith's workshops opened new vistas in social psychology for me decades ago . . . and his original views on status have become foundational ideas in the social sciences. I rejoice that readers of all ages can now stand in his classroom." - Philip Zimbardo, Ph.D., professor emeritus of psychology, Stanford University See Reviews. Theresa Robbins Dudeck, Ph.D., is an experienced teacher/practitioner of Keith Johnstone's Impro System and of acting, voice, and applied theatre techniques. She directs, teaches, and performs in both professional and academic settings.  As Johnstone's Literary Executor, she continues to organize, document, and preserve his archive for future scholarship.  Dudeck is also an Instructor of Acting at Chapman University in Southern California.