I wrote a poem about a seagull looking like it wanted food, then stealing a piece of paper from a poet. After I wrote the poem, I aw a seagull perched on lamp, cawing with sounds if it were laughing. That evening I performed my poem and ended up by imitating the call of the seagull. I was rather proud of my addition of the sound effect.
Later in the evening's performance my sound effects were eclipsed by those of a poet who asked the audience to sing a chorus as parrots on a pirate ship. It was a two line 'unrhymed couplet. The performer said, "Let's have a practice!" She led the group reciting the couplet, about 'bring out the rum'. I'm not sure what the punchline was. As far as I was concerned, the best part was the audience participation.
An equally successful and even more original performance was from a lady who wrote about a health and safety executive inspecting a hospital in Shakespeare's time. She parodied and quoted lines from Shakespeare.
The audience was asked to make suitable sound effect to the eerie evocations. Ghosts, 'woo-woo', hiss hiss, and so on. I am sure this would work equally well, even better in a group around a campfire, a primary school, a wedding, a folk festival, many group occasions.
I would now like to write and rehearse a poem or song involving audience participation. Firstly, I and the others should try involving the audience in memorising words, as in a round or chorus.
Action Songs
Secondly actions - think of: The Hand Jive: The Birdie Song: The Wheels on the Bus (go round and round; Tiptoe Through The Window; If You're Happy and You Know It Clap Your Hands. Google actions songs and you will be able to see some on YouTube.
Thirdly, instead of singing an existing song, write a new one.
Fourthly, write a performance piece which encourages the audience to invent suitable or unsuitable sounds.
Sound Songwriting
What sorts of sounds could you have?
The steam train went /tooted ....
The children shouted ...
The mothers called ....
The dog barked ...
The cat meowed ...
The drum banged
The door creaked
The window squeaked.
Music, Microphone And Performance Options
If you have a guitar, a repertoire, songs, poems, rap music, an entertainment, you can sing for your supper, either offering your services in advance, or to return a favour.
Around the world there are many open mic(rophone) events.
In addition to entertaining groups after dinner, tour guides find it useful to have songs to fill in time during traffic delays on coaches, other transport, or while waiting.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.
Later in the evening's performance my sound effects were eclipsed by those of a poet who asked the audience to sing a chorus as parrots on a pirate ship. It was a two line 'unrhymed couplet. The performer said, "Let's have a practice!" She led the group reciting the couplet, about 'bring out the rum'. I'm not sure what the punchline was. As far as I was concerned, the best part was the audience participation.
An equally successful and even more original performance was from a lady who wrote about a health and safety executive inspecting a hospital in Shakespeare's time. She parodied and quoted lines from Shakespeare.
The audience was asked to make suitable sound effect to the eerie evocations. Ghosts, 'woo-woo', hiss hiss, and so on. I am sure this would work equally well, even better in a group around a campfire, a primary school, a wedding, a folk festival, many group occasions.
I would now like to write and rehearse a poem or song involving audience participation. Firstly, I and the others should try involving the audience in memorising words, as in a round or chorus.
Action Songs
Secondly actions - think of: The Hand Jive: The Birdie Song: The Wheels on the Bus (go round and round; Tiptoe Through The Window; If You're Happy and You Know It Clap Your Hands. Google actions songs and you will be able to see some on YouTube.
Thirdly, instead of singing an existing song, write a new one.
Fourthly, write a performance piece which encourages the audience to invent suitable or unsuitable sounds.
Sound Songwriting
What sorts of sounds could you have?
The steam train went /tooted ....
The children shouted ...
The mothers called ....
The dog barked ...
The cat meowed ...
The drum banged
The door creaked
The window squeaked.
Music, Microphone And Performance Options
If you have a guitar, a repertoire, songs, poems, rap music, an entertainment, you can sing for your supper, either offering your services in advance, or to return a favour.
Around the world there are many open mic(rophone) events.
In addition to entertaining groups after dinner, tour guides find it useful to have songs to fill in time during traffic delays on coaches, other transport, or while waiting.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.
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