Rhetoric of Modern Improvisational Theater. Genre Criticism of the Harold

The aim of this article is a rhetorical analysis of contemporary improvisational theater. The analysis is based on distinctive, typical elements of the traditional structure of oratorical speech and its delivery strategy. The study is based on a method developed by Agnieszka Budzynska-Daca, which consists of a description of the four dimensions of the genre. The basic premise of contemporary Rhetorical Genre Studies (RGS), that is, the recognition of a genre as a social action, makes it possible to view improvisation as a two-subject event within which a code with specific goals is created. Criticism is therefore based on the key aspects: purpose, audience and action. In this perspective, the genre analysis in the article focuses on the rhetorical situation and its context. The research material consists of two performances in Harold - a format representative of improv.