Mime is a form of theater that uses facial expressions, body, and hand gestures to communicate and or perform. It is a performance that uses action, character, and emotion without the use of words.
What makes a good Mime Artist?
A good meme artist or dramatic artist must have proficient skills such as body gestures, hand movements, hand EYE coordination, facial expressions, body contortions, and flexibility to name a few.
Usually, Mime Artists work individually, however, they sometimes choose audience members to interact with as part of the performance.
Most skilled Mime Artists are actually very mesmerising on stage. They captivate the audience and to make-believe world, using just the body and the face as their tools.
From walking an imaginary dog, to cascading precariously on the edge of the top of the building, to being trapped inside a four-walled invisible box and also to eating a meal which isn’t actually there.
The following is an example of a famous Mime Artist called Marcel Marceau. You will see he has an incredible skillset and beautiful lyrical movements. All the while telling a simplistic but intriguing story.
Marcel Marceau has used his acting ability to help children escape the Nazis and also to overpower a troupe of Nazis while on his travels. He convinced them that he was part of an advanced French Guard. The German soldiers surrendered.
He claimed he had learned the power of illusion on a sun-drenched afternoon toward the end of World War II while fighting with the French Resistance.
He and a companion had entered a clearing and suddenly found themselves face-to-face with a unit of German soldiers. Startled, Marceau acted as if he was the advance guard of a larger French force and demanded the German surrender.
As Marcel related the incident, he suddenly sprang to his feet and struck a predatory pose. The night air filled with menace and, an instant later, triumph.
Though it was well past midnight, I still see the helmets of the surrendering Germans glinting in that sunlight meadow. Snopes.com
Mime top perfect for those who are starting out.
Great for artists and actors alike.
A great mime costume for your next fancy dress, Cosplay, or even if you’re starting out as a children’s party mime artist.
This costume is for a female mime artist. Perfect once again for your next fancy dress party, Cosplay event, or even if you are starting out as a mime for an event such as a children’s party.
The black and white theme go really well.
To get White Makeup you’ll need a strong white base and powder and Mehron are one of the best in the world for stage makeup.
Why do Mime Artists wear Black and White?
Mime Artists were black-and-white which stems back to the 400 BC and grace.
Wearing the white face makes it easier for the audience to identify and see the facial expressions of the Mime Artist.
This was in conjunction with precise movements and also fluid moments at particular times.
Wearing black and white makes the type of artistry recognizable over the years.
White gloves, white face black-and-white costume is often worn by the famous and not so famous Mime Artist all over the world.
Well known Mime Acts
Over the years my techniques often hark back to the more simplistic acts that we know today.
From the trapped in a box routine to the walking the invisible dog, and even punting along the river on a barge. Here are some examples of well-known routines and Mime.
And of course who can forget Michael Jackson’s moonwalk which she originally mimicked from Marcel Marceau also featured here.
The floating suitcase.
Going down and up the stairs.
Pulling a rope.
Why should Mime Be Taught In drama?
Mum is excellent for teaching young people how to use their bodies to express an emotion, feeling or intention.
It’s also a great technique to get students to use their facial expressions and get in touch with their emotions and ability to share. Mime is a safe performance style and which anyone can participate in.
Early my Mime Artists
The early Mime stems back to the ancient Greek and Roman days about 400 BC. Even pantoMime, which also stems from the same period, is closely related to Mime.
Marcel Marceau, arguably the world’s most famous Mime Artist in modern times, took inspiration from silent movie actors such as Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton.
Often this type of theater, or performance, uses a lot of slapstick humor which is a direct result of the early pioneers and my artistry.
Do check out this link to find out what low comedy and high comedy is. Also, check out this link to find out more about slapstick comedy.
Learning how to do Mime
What are the most basic and fundamental teachings and learnings of Mime is called the fixed point. This is where there is a point with a body or hand that must be fixed on the point while the rest of the body is moving.
For instance, a hand has a fixed point in front of the body, the body might move up and down, but I’ve had my state in the same position as the beginning. The floating suitcase is a perfect example of the fixed point as a performance piece.
And an extension of this could be a locked door, with a person trying their hardest to pull the door closed against the pressure from the other side.
Have a great way of teaching Mime is by way of the illusion. With students in a circle, a person begins by passing around a ball or a cup of tea or something which is very delicate and needs to be handled very carefully.
This item is passed around the circle so that students get a chance to show the illusion of belief.
The beginning actor, student, or young person can begin a routine of Mime with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Keep in mind if you’re using a prop it should be deliberate and that all props are either in your bag or around you, or everything is completely Mimed.
There should not be a mixture of non-Mimed and Mimed actions as it can confuse the audience.
Mr. Nosey is a great way to begin a routine. Imagine the Mime Artist is sitting on a park bench. He has a pair of binoculars, of course.
Someone walks over to the bench and sits next to him. The Mime should portray thought, his actions, and facial expressions that the person next to them has just opened up a letter and is reading it.
The Mime Artist then tries to read the letter over the shoulder of the person reading the letter. However, he’s afraid that he will get caught, and he does at least three times.
Every time he gets caught he pretends to do something completely different. On the third attempt, he actually manages to read what is on the letter using the binoculars.
When he reads the letter, he can express either surprise, sadness, or delight. Once again he gets caught by the person sitting on the bench next to him.
That person punches him in the nose and walks off and a half. And that should be the end of the short scenario.
Another easy scenario is getting drama students to act as though they are outside in the snow, throwing snowballs at each other, when one goes horribly wrong, because someone gets hurt.
From here the mood escalates into an almighty fight with someone huffing off.
The next scenario could be where a person is in the garden and someone enters.
The first person should look at the person and get frightened and quickly jump over the fence to try and getaway. That will leave the audience with a who, when, why, and what questions.
In fact, the scenarios of basic Mime are endless. It is relatively easy to make up any scenario and have students act them out using credible body gestures, facial expressions.
It will be interesting to see how well they convey the fright, the emotions, exaggerated parts and the nuances in their characters elicits they move through the scenarios.
Mime is a wonderful art form, it is easy to participate in and to perfect. So why not give it a go in your home or take a local class.
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