Mimes: from a war to the theaters

The origin of mimes comes from ancient Greece in the 5th century B.C. In their festivals and theater, body language used to be the main instrument. The word itself comes from the Greek “mimos,” which means expression through mimicking. Mime artists act in complete silence, creating stories and conveying emotions through motions and gestures. Mimes started as a way to entertain Greeks satirically. By the end of the 5th century, with the rise of Christianity, mimes were persecuted and banned for satirizing the sacraments. They quickly spread throughout Europe, surviving in squares and other public places. Later on, they became popular in other countries like Italy and France.

Modern mime developed as a high art form in France, thanks to famous artists such as Étienne Decroux, Jean-Louis Barrault, and Marcel Marceau. This last one is probably the most iconic image of mime; his character got inspired by Charlie Chaplin. Marcel really influenced a lot of our visual culture. For example, Michael Jackson’s moonwalk is modeled after his walk against the wind.

A mime facing the war

Before his legacy as a mime, he faced the war against the nazies; his skills as a performer made him a unique weapon in France’s favor. There was a time when he saved a group of children from an orphanage, and he took them to the safety of Switzerland essentially, he was entertaining them to the point where they could pretend as if they were going on vacation. Another story tells us that he was encountering a large group of 30 German soldiers, and at that moment, he pretended he was at the front of a larger group of French soldiers, and they surrendered to him.

It seems that Marcel’s natural gift for acting became a part of his involvement in the war effort. He wasn’t just mimicking because he loved mime; he was miming for his life. In many ways, his war experience would shape his life’s work. He traveled the world, telling these stories repeatedly through his body movement, in a way that unified languages, kind of like an effort to bring the world back together by doing something that anyone, regardless of their nationality, can understand. Marcel performed up until he died in 2007.

Mimes influenced the comedy genre in Italy, making it a big deal. Italians called it “Comedia del Arte,” and it was an extravagance of acrobatics, dramatic comedy, and acting. They would tell daily life stories that were turned into a comedy-drama. Later on, mime became almost a literary genre. Some of the most popular characters of Roman open-air theaters were Harlequin, Pierrot, and Colombina.

The charm of a mime

You may wonder why the mimes wear that characteristic black and white outfit. It has indeed been adapted to society nowadays. However, there’s a reason behind it. Those colors are perfect for appreciating all their actions. It highlights their moves perfectly. Also, the purpose of their white makeup was to be seen by the audience from far away.

Some people think being a mime is easy, but to be a mime requires more than just makeup and clothing. It takes attitude, management of physiognomy and gesture, and charm. Have you ever experienced a Mime act? StepFlix can make it happen! This type of show is perfect for entertaining. Our mimes will bring so much fun to your parties and make your guests laugh so hard that they’ll have great memories of your event.

You can also read: “Circus: An art that paralyzed a whole country”