One of the few studies covering the historical flow of mime from its beginnings to postmodern movement theatre, this book explores the evolution of mime and pantomime from the Greeks to the 20th Century, depicting the role of mime in dance, clowning, the cinema, and verbal theatre throughout the centuries. With over sixty illustrations, this worldwide study is indispensable for the student, teacher, or fan of mime.

Foreword Preface Acknowledgments Introduction: On the Meaning of Mime and Pantomime Major Developments of the Art of Mime in the Occident and Orient Exponents of Twentieth-Century Mime Schools and Movement Styles Part One: Mime through the Ages 1 Mime, First Language and Art: Mime in Greece and Rome 2 Mimes and Jongleurs of the Middle Ages 3 Origins of the Commedia Dell'Arte and the Theatres de la Foire 4 Gaspard Deburau and the Pierrots of the Nineteenth Century 5 English Pantomime 6 Mime and Movement in German, Russian, and Italian Theatre 7 Exit Pierrot. Enter Georges Wague Part Two: Twentieth-Century Mime 8 Etienne Decroux, Father of Corporeal Mime 9 Jean-Louis Barrault 10 Marcel Marceau 11 Jacques Lecoq 12 Mimes of Twentieth-Century Europe 13 Mime and Movement Theatre in North America 14 Women's Voices in Mime 15 Movement and Silence in Modern and Postmodern Verbal Theatre 16 Whither Mime? Appendixes A School and Centers for Movement Training B Archives, Resource Centers, and Artist Directories; Periodicals and Publications; Library and Museum Collections; Pantomime and Mime Scripts and Bookshop Collections; Festivals C Filmography Works Consulted and Cited Index About the Author