Improvised plays, songs or scenes can have a special allure and effect when they rhyme.
Rhyme means that words connect with similar sound. Or in a narrower sense: rhyming means the harmony of a stressed vowel and the following sounds with a different beginning. For example: mouse - house.
Usually, the text (the song) is performed in a versed form. The vacuum is the most suitable for the Improtheater. In the "end rhyme", here the rhyming words are at the end of the line:
- To the party I did ride.
- Father's ring I wore with pride.
Rhyme within a line of verse is also conceivable:
- "He giggled as it wiggled."
Furthermore one can distinguish pure rhymes and impure rhymes. In the case of pure rhyme the audible sound sequence agrees exactly with the rhyming syllables (see examples above).
In the case of impure rhyme, the audible sound sequence almost agrees with the rhyming syllables, differencies occur in the tone and the accent.
- When I cry
- They must go 'way.
A rhyme is also impure if only the vowels agree:
- On such days as this,
- beers fresh' me forthwith.
Table of Contents
The following successions of rhyme are for the practicable of improvisational theatre:
- "I am Lisa from the town, [A]
- Hear what I am putting down: [A]
- Though I don't want to be teary, [B]
- I am weak, I have to say. " [B]
- "I am Lisa from the town, [A]
- Now I must say honestly': [B]
- Although I'm feeling pretty quiet, [A]
- However I will not complain " [B]
- "I am Lisa from the town [A]
- Now I want to say honestly, [B]
- Though today I will not complain, [B]
- Now I am feeling pretty down. " [A]
This form of the rhyme is especially good for rhymes suitable for improvisational theatre's shows, because one can focus himself more on lines B and C than on content, development of the plot, and must to pay attention only to the fourth line for the rhyme. Good and suitable too for actors less experienced in rhyming:
I am Lisa from the town, Now honestly something to you I'm sayin': [B] Going here to me is exhausting However I don't want to complain." [B]
Versificaton depends on sequence of elevations and reductions, that the line or the verse rhythmically structure. Instead people can also rising, instead saying lowering the corresponding unstressed In particular, the emphasis on certian syllables produced the desired rhythm that gives a pleasant, harmonious impression on the listener. The stressing arises mostly through the slightly raised volume of the voice. The possibilities fro the versification are varied, the subject is compliated, therefore books are written! For the improvisation, it is enough to know that one can try to strive for a known rythm. Rule of thumb: The number of syllabes and their particular stress in both rhyming lines must be the same.
- If the BEER does not taste FINE,
- I will TAKE a glass of WINE.
There are 7 syllables in each line, and the ones in capital letters are lightly stressed (3, and especially 7), then it will sound rhythmic.
An example to the contrary: Although it rhymes, it sounds awkward, because there is a syllable missing from the second line. Consequently, the ryhthm of the first line is not retained.
- If the beer does not taste fine,
- I will just drink some wine.
- It is useful to prepare by reading classic poems in order to get a sense of rhyming, and especially of meter - e.g. here: http://www.handmann.phantasus.de/gedichte.html
- Not only with the examples, but try also in your everyday life to speak in poetic form. You should forewarn people however; otherwise you could appear strange to them. ;)
- In principle the above rules are also valid for the rhymes when singing. However, it is disputed if in principle the sung parts must rhyme
- The rhyme is in principle a joke, that is, the rhymes'rule does not apply to true (serious) scenes and chants.