Corporeal mime

The Mime corporel dramatique is a comprehensive physical theater technique, developed by the French actor and mime Étienne Decroux.

It differs significantly from the classical pantomime (also called mime illusion ), as we know, for example, by Marcel Marceau. Rather than to use illusions and imaginary objects, the Mime corporel concentrated on the inner happenings of a man, his thoughts and feelings. It is therefore usually more abstract than realistic and similar gestural theater or dance much more than what is generally understood by pantomime. Decroux ( who considered the classic pantomime with suspicion ), saw his theater concept thus more of the arts of sculpture, poetry and music related.

The Mime corporel based on an extensive study of the insulation capacity of individual body parts as well as the rhythm of a movement and the causal link more with each other. Less attention, but the more fundamental also is investigating the handling of man with the perpetual action of gravity, this is heavy physical activity or in dealing with objects of low weight. In addition, the Mime corporel the task, even internal processes of a man, his thoughts and feelings " to give weight " to make them visible to the outside. The main focus always lies on the physical effort, the muscular game, the subject; Objects, imaginary objects and space are treated only subordinate. The trunk of the body, therefore, has a clear preference towards the arms and legs, grimaces are the mime corporel alien.

Decroux was inspired by the very sculptures by Auguste Rodin, his theatrical art sometimes shows up (except for the shame) naked. Often is also still face covered by the sculptural character to emphasize. Decroux called because even a partial aspect of his form of theater " la statuaire mobile", " moving the statue ."