Mime
Mime could mean:
- working in silence, or with few sounds or words, to show activities, eg painting a wall or opening a door.
- working with dialogue but while miming any props or set, eg using the audience as a mirror to apply make-up while addressing another character onstage.
- Physical theatre, which often incorporates mime techniques and where actors can also mime items of set or props
Charlie Chaplin in the Great Dictator, 1940 Credit: Charles Chaplin Productions/Ronald Grant Archive
Silent film star, Charlie Chaplin was one of the most famous performers to use mime in cinema. His performances in films such as The Great Dictator and Modern Times contributed greatly towards the popularity of the medium in the 20th century. Whilst the French performer, Marcel Marceau鈥檚 stage and screen persona of 鈥楤ip the Clown鈥 made theatrical mime popular worldwide. Marceau described mime as 鈥榯he art of silence鈥. If you watch videos of these artists鈥 performances, you can see the level of skill involved.
Marcel Marceau Credit: Getty Images