On the streets of large cities, and not only large ones, one can often find unusual and funny street performers with white faces dressed in striped vests. These artists are mimes. They are somewhat similar to clowns, but the genre of representations is completely different, and is called pantomime. To understand what a mime is, it’s worth a little deeper into the history of this unusual art.
Pantomime story
This is a kind of stage art that is rooted in ancient Greece and Rome. In this kind of genre, the artistic image is conveyed by artists without words, only with the help of body plastics. Understanding who such memes are in that era and in our time is significantly different. Greeks and Romans called memes of street performers giving mass performances. The theater included acrobats, magicians and other actors who depicted scenes from the everyday life of the townspeople and accompanied them with singing, dancing, and satire.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, the culture of the region was influenced by medieval Christians. However, memes did not disappear, but only transformed into a more acceptable genre. Their street art was mixed with the traditions of German buffoons and peasant folklore. Later, aristocratic artists also adopted this art, remaking the medieval satirical farce into a sophisticated classic comedy.
In the 19th century, pantomime moved from the streets to the theater stage, and the question "Who is a mime?" received a new answer: a theater actor with a good education and training. In the countries of the Soviet camp, where plastic art was represented only by classical ballet permitted by the Communist Party, pantomime quickly became popular. However, in the countries of Europe and America, theatrical pantomime remained virtually unclaimed: many choreographic theaters in these countries filled the niche of plastic art.
Mime actors
Who is a mime? A pantomime actor who expresses emotions and feelings through body movements and characteristic plasticity of hands, exaggerated facial expressions. To better convey emotions, artists cover their faces with a kind of makeup. With the help of these tricks, the only actor is able to play a complex story and touch the thin soul strings of the audience. Often mimes give simple ideas that are understandable even to young children. In this case, the pantomime is very similar to a clownery, but all actions are performed absolutely without words. The most famous memes: Charlie Chaplin, as well as the characters of Pierrot and Harlequin.
Mime image
Who is a mime, the photo is easiest to determine. The actor’s face is hidden under a thick layer of makeup, a traditional outfit consists of a vest, a red neckerchief, hat or beret. Often mimes put on a jacket, imitating Charlie Chaplin. However, there is another style. Its representatives do not adhere to the standard image, do not use makeup and dress in arbitrary costumes in order to avoid the stereotypical attitude of the audience. Only the unrivaled art of pantomime and the silent, but extremely emotional representation remain unchanged.
How to become a mime
A professional mime is an actor who has received the appropriate education and has dedicated his life to the pantomime theater. However, each person can discover the talent in himself and learn this amazing art to entertain relatives or acquaintances. For starters, make-up should be applied. Cover your face with a white tone, with a black pencil, highlight the eyes and eyebrows, and move your lips with red lipstick. Such makeup is necessary in order to give the image certain character traits. In the performance, mimes depict scenes with invisible objects, for example, a wall - this is one of the most famous tricks.
So, mime - who is this? Professional actor of the pantomime theater. Do not confuse memes with clowns, as these are two different types of art.