PANTOMIME

PANTOMIME

PANTOMIME

Pantomime is type of entertainment where players act out situations, ideas, or environments. The difference between this and other forms of performance is that pantomime requires its performers not to use any props nor their voice.  Sometimes, music plays while they perform.

Why would you need to know how to act on stage without using your voice?

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There are a few guidelines for pantomime that will help you a great deal and that you should know before we begin. Remember that in all dramatic performance thought comes first.  Think, see, feel and believe before you begin to move onstage. Allow your eyes to respond to the scene first, that is, see the invisible scene in front of you, then begin to move your body. The pantomime activities will require no sound.  It is important that you concentrate so that you believe what you are trying to perform.  If you believe it, then your audience will believe it as well.

PANTOMIME GUIDELINES[1]

1. Decide how you want to begin your pantomime. Do you want to be in a neutral position (with your head down or looking straight ahead) or do you want to enter from the wings?
2.  Decide in your mind every detail of what you will perform.  How much space will you use? Where is the “furniture” you will use? Where are your imaginary props? It is important for you to keep track of where everything in your imagined environment is so that you do not break the illusion for your audience.
3. Imagine the appearance and emotions of your character before you begin. You should know even the smallest details about the character so that you can truly become that character onstage.
4. Make believe that you are wearing the clothes of the character you are becoming.  Let the audience see the weight of the fabric, the shape of the clothes, and even imagine the materials.
5. Keep your actions simple, clear and big.  Onstage there are no extreme close ups.  It is important that the people in the last row of the theater are able to see what you are doing onstage.  Make movements clear.
6. This is not charades or a guessing game.  Make your intention very clear early in the scene so that your audience connects with you and understands what you want and what you are doing.
7. Face the audience as much as possible.  Place all invisible furniture in front of you so that the audience can see what you are doing and why.
8. Don’t do anything for no reason. Whenever you move onstage, you should know why and it should be clear to your audience why you are doing certain things.
9. Make only one movement or gesture at a time, but make sure that your whole body matches that gesture.
10. Plan your introduction and ending carefully.  If you begin in character, you should make sure you leave the stage in character. Always remember a strong beginning and strong finish will keep your audience’s attention through the whole performance. A strong performance will cause them to be interested in your character and a strong finish will leave them satisfied.

PANTOMIME EXPRESSIONS

ROUND 1:

This activity requires you to use only your face to express emotion.  Without sound or physical movement, how can you express the following emotions?

Boredom

Determination

Despair

Doubt

Eagerness

Horror

Irritation

Joy

Love

Pain

Sarcasm

Scorn

Surprise

Weariness

ROUND 2

In this round, you can use your face and your body to express the same list of emotions. NO SOUND!!!

How did it feel to do this silent activity? Did you find it difficult?

PANTOMIMING AN ACTIVITY

Think of an object that is large or small enough to hold in your hands.  Imagine that you are holding that object in one or both of your hands.  Use your five senses to begin to see the object in your hand.

What does it feel like? What is the texture, the material?

What is the temperature or weight of the object?

What does it look like? What color is it? Is there anything interesting about the object that you can see? Is it dirty? Is it clean?

What does it smell or sound like?

Is there any use for the object that you would be able to demonstrate? If yes, practice what that would look like once you get comfortable holding the object in your hands

PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY

In this activity, we are going to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 

Who doesn’t like pb&j sandwiches?

What do you like instead?

If you don’t like pb&j you can make a sandwich you like instead.

What are some of the materials or supplies we will need to make the sandwich?

Like I said, we are going to make a sandwich, but we are going to make it a pantomime pb&j sandwich.  So let’s take out all of our supplies and get ready to make our sandwiches.

HOMEWORK:

1. You will choose an activity that you do often.  It should be an activity that lasts no more than two to five minutes.
2.  You should practice the activity the way that you normally would do it usinghe actual furniture, objects, and materials. 
3. Break this activity into steps and pay attention to the details of each one.
4. Write down the order in which you perform this activity.
5. Practice the activity with the real object. For Example: Use your hairbrush instead of a make believe one.
6. After you practice with the real object, practice pantomiming the activity with imaginary objects. 
7. Check your pantomime against your real list.  Did you use your imaginary object the same way as the real one?

MAKE A LIST

On 5 separate pieces of paper, you should create one situations that can represent one of each of the following pantomimes:

1. A pantomime showing a single mood
2. A pantomime that shows transition from one mood to another
3. A pantomime that requires a definite entrance and exit
4. A pantomime that makes use of sitting and standing
5. A pantomime that involves falling and getting up.

We will put all the pantomimes into a basket and each of us will select one to perform for each other in class. You are encouraged to remember what you should do when pantomiming.

CHARACTERIZATIONS

Imagine yourself in the following situations and then pantomime the actions. Think of what you would do in these situations, and show the whole scene to the audience. Before you begin, it is important to know the answers to the following questions about your character:

* Who am I?

* What kind of person am I?

* How am I different from other characters?

* What are the fewest things I can do to convey the most information about my character?

* What does my character want?

Once you know the answers to these questions and can confidently display them onstage, you are ready for your performance.

Remember to do these activities silently. Here are the situations for you to try out:

1. You are home alone watching the climax of a scary movie on TV. Suddenly you hear a sound at the window. The window slowly opens and a hand appears. You seize a book and throw it at the hand which disappears instantly.  You tiptoe to the window, shut it, lock it, close the curtains, and fall down to the floor, relieved but terrified.
2. You have been arguing with you boyfriend or girlfriend.  You are standing by a window, looking out, frowning, and biting your lip. Your chest is sunken, your body is slumped.  The phone rings. You run to the phone and answer it.  Let your facial expressions reflect the conversation to the audience. When you hang up, you show by your movements whether or not the argument was resolved.
3. Get a kite into the air.  Tug on the string and get it higher and higher.  The string breaks and the kite drifts away.  Watch it disappear and walk off stage sadly.
4. You are caught in a fierce storm with extremely high winds.  You are attempting to walk against the wind to reach the safety of the building. Open the door, close it behind you and slowly collapse from exhaustion.
5. You are standing in the bow of a small boat as it plows through rough water.  You sway slightly as each wave moves the boat from side to side. Slowly become sea sick.
6. Practice falling for these different situations:

1. Your shoulder has been wounded and you fall to the floor in pain
2. You suddenly feel faint and fall.  Then you recover, get up, and stagger to a chair, sitting down weakly.

JOURNAL ENTRY

How does it feel to pantomime? Is it challenging for you to perform without sound? Why or why not? Please write a journal entry about this.

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