ABSTRACT
Klare Lanson interviews Charlie Todd, director of renowned New York-based urban comedy collective Improv Everywhere, who muses on the chaotic joy of unexpected public performance “missions” that amplify the importance of inclusivity. Situated within the realm of détournement and often employing methods of instruction, these performative jokesters’ have since 2001 been experimenting with the mobility of mundane city life, often utilizing the mobile phone to creatively hijack public space. Todd discusses how the collective has successfully energized thousands of performance art special agents to cause hysterical scenes of chaos and feelings of well-being throughout the everyday of the city-scape.
