Pantomime Is More Than Being Trapped In A Box
by Cary Trivanovich
Replacing the outmoded mime stereotype with a fresh, relevant style, turns widespread apathy into enthusiasm for the art.
It is rare in our generation to find an audience enthusiastically crowding
outside a theatre hall for a mime performance. It stands to reason. With the
inundation of street mimes who display no more depth than pretending to be a
robot or mimicking innocent passers-by, our generation has a low opinion for the
art. The public's perception of pantomime over the last few decades has been,
for the most part, nothing more than the "white-face mime trapped in a
box" - a nice little diversion at a county fair, but nothing worthy of
respect in the performing arts. Mimes have become objects of ridicule for
comedians, political cartoons, and movie scripts. There is little interest for
pantomime in our generation, and it appears to be a dying art.
On the contrary, history records a profound love for the art form in centuries
past. As early as ancient Greece, audiences adored performances and were moved
simply by the medium of gestures. In the nineteenth century, audiences revered
the famous character of the lovesick Pierrot, created by Jean Gaspard Deburau.
In recent times, Marcel Marceau and the great silent film actors such as Charlie
Chaplin and Buster Keaton wooed the hearts of the world without saying a word.
There is one distinct reason for such a dramatic difference in appreciation
between those times and now: Mime in the past was performed with relevance to
real life, but today it is rare.
Relevance is the Key
Relevance is somewhat of a natural law in mime. It dictates the effect mime has on an audience. Simply defined: The more relevant a pantomime is to the beholder’s innermost life, the more it will have special meaning to him, but the less relevant it is, the less it will have meaning.
This is a principal that was understood as early as the second century, when Lucian, a Greek writer, stated:
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"When every one of the spectators identifies himself with the scene enacted, when each sees in the pantomime as in a mirror the reflection of his own conduct and feelings, then, and not till then, is his success complete. But let him reach that point, and the enthusiasm of the spectators becomes uncontrollable, every man pouring out his whole soul in admiration of the portraiture that reveals him to himself…" |
Do you want to create a pantomime that is met with enthusiasm? Mirror the truth of our lives. Moreover, mirror the
inner truth of our lives – identify with our feelings, emulate what is wonderful, empathize with our suffering, and reflect the humor of our own selves.Many mimes today perform little to do with real life, i.e.: getting trapped inside a huge bubble-gum bubble, pretending to be a flower blooming, being carried away by helium balloons, etc. Because nobody does these things, the consequence is apathy for the art.
In addition to mimes acting out stories with which the public cannot identify, mimes are acting out with no stories at all. Most street mimes meander around performing only "techniques," such as walking in place, standing motionless as a mechanical man, leaning on an imaginary counter, etc. This is mime that conveys nothing, or as my artistic director puts it, mime that has no "point". Do not misunderstand, pantomime "techniques" are an essential part of performing the art, and I believe in executing them with precision. However, mimicking the outward motions of man do not speak to the heart. I am not implying that all pantomime must have a deep message. There is a legitimate place for pure entertainment within mime. Nevertheless, without communicating a story or an idea, the mime artist is counting on only his movements to entertain. Even if he is technically proficient, "entertainment" is the best that he will accomplish.
Consequently, relevance is the key element that must exist in a pantomime if
it is to have meaning. A pantomime that identifies with a spectator, portraying
the depth of his life, will surpass mere interest… it will draw his whole
being into it!
The Power of Art
Relevance – or mirroring the spectator’s inner self – can evoke great sentiment. This is where the arts have a significant impact on our lives. For example, imagine a man in an art gallery who is profoundly captivated by a specific painting. It is a painting of a field with a country home in the distance. The man is transfixed by it and is touched deeply. Why? Because it reminds him of his childhood home and evokes the memories associated with that time in his life. It not only evokes the memory, it evokes the
feelings associated with the memory. That painting becomes sentimentally significant, and means more to the man than any "great work of art" in the gallery, because his life has been enriched by the painting.The same is true for the pantomime with which an audience member identifies with himself. A pantomime can evoke a memory or feeling that is very special, yet personal. This feeling may be too personal for the audience member to share with others, yet the pantomime has brought it to the surface. It strikes deep within him, manifesting a lump in his throat and a tear in his eye. That heart is touched and the pantomime artist has accomplished great art.
Pantomime With An Exclamation Point
I have witnessed student pantomime productions, performed in a fresh, true-to-life manner, absolutely enrapturing their audiences and creating exuberant response. How awesome it is to experience pantomime that is felt deep within because it has mirrored the sentimental qualities of life. This is pantomime that is more than entertaining – it is impacting!
Through the American Academy of Mime, I have an ambitious objective to revive mime as a great art in the eyes of the public. I want to instill the idea that mime is more than being trapped in a box. Mime can be a very significant art worthy of patronage in a world-class theatre.It can be hilarious, have passion, depth, and like any great art form, it can touch lives.
It is my hope that mimes will commemorate this powerful ancient art form and perform with relevance for today’s audiences. I hope mimes will, as the 18th century ballet master, Jean Georges Noverre stated, "rehearse a mimed scene until the performers have arrived at that moment of expression innate in mankind, a precious moment which is revealed with both strength and truth when it is the outcome of feeling... To be successful in theatrical representations, the heart must be touched, and soul moved and the imagination inflamed."
