Although used as a term to describe mime in general, I like to use pantomime to describe a  slightly different style.  It is the art of storytelling with gestures.  The performer is narrating the story, even making comments on the narrative as it unfolds.  For example;  the narrator may point to a spot on stage and step into that area and become the character.  The performer acts out that characters' action and then returns to the narrators' position.  The narrator reacts to the scene that has just happened and then takes the audience to the next scene.  It has been a common technique for mimes to spin into the new position however this is not necessary and can sometimes, simply make you dizzy.  

Pantomime has its' strongest association with the legendary 19th century French performer, Jean Gespard Debureau.  Debureau is the focus of  the Marcel Carne film, "Children of Paradise".  We discuss this brief history of the style and its origins in Paris where certain styles of theatre were forbidden by law to use words.  We then work with a Pierrot and Columbine piece originally created in mime school and then later modified by myself. 

 Pierrot is portrayed as a hopeless romantic.  (Female students are encouraged to find the feminine version of this.)  Pierrot sees Columbine and tells the audience, "She's beautiful".  Pierrot then asks her out on a picnic and describes for her a perfect day in the park with sandwiches and wine.  All through this he keeps making comments to the audience.  He asks her to accept.  He looks over and shows the audience her response.  He steps into her spot and acts out her listening to and refusing the proposal.  When Columbine gives the final emphatic "no", Pierrot as narrator returns to his spot and tells the audience he's heart broken.  The students then perform the pantomime using different pieces of music.  This allows them to see how different music affects the story.  They are encouraged to adapt the story on the spot according to how they respond personally to the music.  They then create their own modern versions of this scenario both as silent, solo narrators and then in pairs.  

 Each class begins with a physical warm-up focusing on relaxation and centering.  I then take them through a "pantomime conversation" in which I tell them what they are saying and how many gestures they have to communicate it to the audience.  The next step is to work with both silent and verbal narration. (The verbal aspect is only worked with when we have multiple sessions.)  

The subject of their performance piece at the end of the series is a choice between Shakespeare's, Romeo & Juliet or a children's story. The task is to reduce the play or story down to just the storyline and several essential scenes. The students all take turns encapsulating the stories in their own words. The class is broken up into two or three groups and they then tell their own version of the play using classical pantomime storytelling and verbal storytelling. Each student in the group must take a turn narrating.

Things to remember

The storyteller must make direct eye contact with the audience members.

React as the narrator to the section of the story you have just finished.

All gestures must be as big as possible.  Use your full stretch.  Make yourself bigger by stepping and pointing to the new area.

click on the link below for a Video Clip

Pantomime Sequence Demo 

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