Chapter 2

Pantomime and Mime

Objectives To master the basic principles of pantomime

and apply them to common stage actions. To recognize and practice conventional

mime actions and exercises To use facial expressions and gestures to

enhance a characterization To differentiate between mime and

pantomime

Focus Activity

Two volunteers Demonstrate ways to express to partner

the following ideas without saying a word: “Everything is OK.” “Please, help me out here.” “Don’t say another word.” “I haven’t a clue.”

Basic Pantomime Movements Much of our daily communication is nonverbal, yet when inexperienced actors perform onstage, they tend to rely mainly on their voices to communicate with the audience.

Since physical actions, not words, are the basis of most characterizations, the art of acting without speaking is the first phase of training as an actor.

Any exercise that develops physical coordination is valuable in preparing to perform:

Fencing, dancing, sports, walking and climbing stairs Helps to develop a talent for moving your body as a whole

Body Language The top of your head to the tips of your fingers and toes

are all expressive, and not in the way you might desire. Usually the world will take you at your “face value”

You are judged first by your appearance and manner and later by what you say and how you say it.

Strong-willed and confident Shy and retiring Stands tall Uses broad, emphatic gestures Moves with authority and self-

assurance Makes quick, definite movements Directs actions away from the body

Stands timidly, drawn in as if for protection

Uses small, weak gestures Moves slowly, with limited

motion Directs actions down and

toward the body

Posture Your posture is fundamental to

your health and personal appearance

Good posture carries an air of confidence, maturity, and success while poor posture suggests weakness, lack of poise, and insecurity

First, visualize someone who typically has good posture as you try this exercise

Posture Exercise

How to Walk Onstage Maintain good posture Keep shoulders square

and chest high Keep axis of your body

directly over your feet Think “tall” Move straight ahead

with weight on balls of feet

Movement should be easy, poised and rhythmical

Walk in a straight line Let body swing easily

from hips

Let arms swing in easy opposition to your legs

Turn by rotating on balls of feet, shifting weight from one foot to another

Turn your entire body, including your head

Do not turn on your heels As you turn, do not cross

one foot over the other Avoid plodding or long

strides or tiny steps Do not habitually look at the

ground as you walk Exercise 1 Exercise 2

How to sit onstage Locate out of the corner of your eye the chair in which you will sit Decide the best route to the chair that you will occupy When you arrive, turn so that the calf of your leg touches the chair.

Then place the calf of the other leg against the chair and sit. When sitting, keep the back of your spine at a 90 degree angle to the

seat. Your hands will ordinarily rest in your lap or on the arms of the chair.

Crossing your arms restricts your breathing and makes you look tense Your feet may be crossed at the ankles, or one foot may be placed

slightly in front of the other. Do not cross your legs, spread your feet apart, or rest your hands or elbows on

your knees unless you are conveying specific moods from your character In rising, let your chest lead, not your head. Keep your weight

balanced on the balls of your feet, placing one foot slightly forward and using the rear one as a lever in pushing yourself up. Take a deep breath while rising.

Never hold onto the arms of the chair or push yourself up from them unless your character is elderly or weak.

Crossing, Turning and Falling When entering, lead with foot farther from

audience as it helps keep your body facing the audience;

when you stop, stop with the upstage foot forward All turns are made to the front, rotating on the

balls of your feet Falling Onstage

Divide your body into segments – head, torso and arms, hips, thighs, and legs – and lower each segment to the floor

Control your body; you should be very close to the floor before you actually “fall”

Absorb the fall with the soft parts of your body – forearms, thighs, legs – rather than the body projections – elbows, hipbones, knees

Gestures The movement of any part of your body to

help express an idea or an emotion is called a gesture

Two kinds Facial expressions Hand and arm movements

Sequence of facial expressions – begins with eyes, then mouth, then other facial features

Facial Expressions Surprise

Eyes widen Brows lift Mouth opens into

an O Happiness

Eyes squint Brows lift Mouth curves up,

sometimes with lips parting

Sadness Eyes narrow and

lids drop Outer brow turns

downward Mouth turns down Facial muscles

sag

Anger Eyes narrow considerably Brows furrow Mouth twists downward Lips sometimes curl out

and down into a sneer Jaw drops and sets firmly

Hand and Arm Gestures

Almost every body movement begins with the chest through your shoulder, elbow, wrist and “slips off” at fingers

Curled fingers or stiff fingers make the gesture ineffective

Every gesture must have a definite purpose. If there is no purpose, there should be no gesture

Sole purpose is to emphasize or clarify a thought or feeling

Exercise 1

Principles of Pantomime

Techniques of pantomime are based on what human beings do physically in response to emotional stimulation, other people and the objects around them.

The richest source of authentic material for pantomime is careful observation of people in daily life

Principles of Body Language1. Always keep the audience in mind and direct your

actions to them2. Your chest is the key to all bodily action3. Your wrists lead most hand gestures4. Move your elbows away from your body when

making arm or hand gestures5. Except on specific occasions, do not gesture above

your head or below your waist6. Opposite action emphasizes physical movement7. Arms and hands should move in curves, not

straight lines unless you are deliberately trying to give the impression of awkwardness, uneasiness, force or strength

Principles of Body Language8. Positive emotions, such as love, honor, courage, and

sympathy are evidenced by a high chest and head, free movements, broad gestures, and animated facial expressions

9. Negative emotions, such as hate, greed, fear, and suffering, contract and twist the body and are evidenced by a sunken chest, tense movement, restricted gestures and drawn features

10. Facial expressions usually precede other physical actions

11. Whenever possible, make all gesture with your upstage arm, and avoid covering your face

12. Some exaggeration of movement is often essential13. All actions must be definite in concept and execution

and all movements must be clearly motivated

Standard Pantomime Expressions Exercises

Pages 38-39 in textbook Body as a whole Feet and Legs Head and Face Fingers and Hands

Chest

Chest raised Pride, sophistication, nobility, or confidence

Chest pushed forward dramatically

Aggressiveness, determination

Chest sunken inward Weakness, old age, shyness, exhaustion

Face and HeadOpen, upturned lips; Wide eyes; Arched brows; Raised Head

Happiness, surprised delight

Down-turned mouth; narrow eyes; head forward

Anger, threat

Mouth straight line; eyes wide; eyebrows arched; head raised and to the side

Listening, attentive, curious

Legs and Feet

One leg crossed over other with body leaning

Relaxed, casual, or sometimes arrogance

Feet turned in or one leg bent behind the other

Shyness, timidity

Feet apart, legs straight Strength, confidence

(add head held high and hands on hips = scorn, threat, contempt)

Arms and Hands

Clenched fists Anger, threat, forced control

Palms down Rejection, demanding, denial, fear

Palms up Acceptance, pleading, sympathy

Pantomime and Objects

Portraying the size, shape, weight, resistance, texture, placement and condition of objects is an important part of pantomime

Whenever possible, make evident to your audience the exact details of an object

What size is it? What is the shape? How heavy or light is it? Where is it located?

Exercise 1

Mime Versus Pantomime

Mime is a special art form, more abstract and highly stylized than pantomime

Mime does not imitate physical action as it occurs in life, as pantomime does, but rather it gives the illusion of the action Mimes do not walk like normal walks

Instead it gives the idea of walking

Mime Versus Pantomime Mimes work from just five

basic facial expressions:1. Happy2. Sad3. Surprised4. Angry5. Afraid

They traditionally emphasize their eyes and mouths with makeup to exaggerate their facial expressions and make them more visible

Conventional Mime Actions

Exercises (pg. 53-55) Mime Walks Rope Pull Ladder Climb Climbing Up and Down Stairs