Study-Guide Trent Arterberry • Actions Speak Louder

make good choices in life. Mime is an authentic, immediate Synopsis of Program Actions Speak Louder i n t r o d u c e s and unique experience of live the- students to the communicative and atre, which teaches social skills and Designed for secondary audiences, expressive art form of mime, and the creates community. It stimulates Actions Speak Louder uses modern potential of the human body. concentration, imagination and scenarios to examine how our own Students will observe how the mime abstract thought. inner resources can help us to make creates characters, environments, the right decisions when con- narratives, and the passage of time Educational Objectives/ fronting challenges like peer pres- through the simple use of body and Responding to Show sure, moral confusion, dangerous s p a c e . drugs and coercive advertising. The educational goals of A c t i o n s Following is a an outline of a sample Trent Arterberry Speak Louder a r e : performance with a brief synopsis of During his 30 year career, Trent each piece. Arterberry has performed for thousands of 1. To introduce mime as an art audiences across North America, Europe f o r m . I n t r o d u c t i o n and Asia. He left pre-med studies at UCLA • What are some of the elements that —Uses mime technique and to study mime, eventually training with the the mime uses to communicate his monologue to illustrate the road renowned French master, Marcel s t o r i e s ? of life, and the many choices we Marceau. • How is mime like acting? How is f a c e . it like dance? How does it differ? Don’t Be A Dope —Examines the potentially tragic 2. To demonstrate and make con- consequences of careless action. scious the expressive ability of the T V human body. —Demonstrates the medium’s • Give examples of how people com- powerful influence on the municate without words in everyday unwary viewer. l i f e . M e l t d o w n • What were some of the seemingly —A technological nightmare in impossible moves the mime made? which appliances and services malfunction and mayhem 3. To introduce and teach several r e s u l t s . techniques of classic mime. Birth, Life and Death Arterberry has opened for major • Identify some of the illusions that —A humorous and touching recording artists including Marvin Hamlish, the mime used to tell his stories. portrayal of the cycle of life. B.B. King, Spyro Gyra and the Kinks. He • How does the mime separate the O l y m p i c s opened Julio Iglesias’ first North American different characters/shows in TV? —Promotes perseverence in tour, including four nights at New York’s • How does the mime create the bed- achieving one’s goals. Radio City Music Hall. room/kitchen/bathroom environ- After hundreds of college appear- m e n t ? In the end we discover time and ances, Trent was named “Campus again how our own powers of mind Performing Artist of the Year.” He has 4. To introduce art and self- and body—balance, self-awareness, performed around the world on luxury lin- employment as a potential career imagination and perseverence—can ers including the world cruise of the QE2 c h o i c e . guide us through life’s most difficult and the SS Norway Comedy Cruise. • What are some of the skills that challanges and enable us to realize Arterberry has entertained at trade would be required to be a profession- our dreams. shows and meetings for major corporations al mime? including AT&T, MCI, ÆTNA, Mass Mutual •What are some of the Educational Content and Digital Equipment. advantages/disadvantages of being In 1998, Trent brought his public per- s e l f - e m p l o y e d ? Actions Speak Louder e n c o u r a g e s formance, Mime Out Loud, to the Victoria • How does society value/not value young people to think about the Fringe Theatre Festival where it won “Best the role of the artist? consequences of their actions, and to Local Production.”

Trent Arterberry • 1 (888) 642-2788 • [email protected] Trent Arterberry • Actions Speak Louder

Creating/Performing in the Classroom

Creating/Performing minute to see the object in their 1. Students work in pairs. mind’s eye and to use slow, pre- 2. Together they choose characters Frozen Picture Warm-up cise movements to show size, that might be in a scene together. 1. Students work in groups of shape and weight. One character can be an animal, t h r e e . 5. Other evaluation criteria include: but not a television character. 2. The teacher calls out a cue word: using the whole body, keeping 3. The next question is “What are e.g. beach, family, football, zoo, test, the presentation uncluttered, we doing?” The students answer on the moon, or u n d e r w a t e r. short and simple. this by finding a conflict 3. The first group runs across the 6. The teacher can help guide the between the two characters. This room and forms a tableau students to notice what kinds of can be physical (a farmer trying (frozen group picture) that rep- gestures, facial expressions, etc. to move a spirited horse) or resents the word. help to communicate clearly and emotional ( a child wanting an 4. The teacher can comment on ice cream cone from a parent). what makes the tableau effec- 4. If students are stuck for ideas, tive, and what can make it more have them focus on some s o . object in their scene. Remind them that a conflict is not The Adverb Game always a “fight,” but can be a 1. Students sit in a semi-circle with problem that needs to be a chair in front of them. solved. Usually, conflict 2. Each student thinks of an comes out of opposing objec- adverb. S/he must then pick up t i v e s . the chair, move it and sit down 5. To help the students create a on it, moving in the style of the clear narrative, try making a adverb. For example, a student “comic strip” first: might be asked to move the a. Students form a frozen pic- chair quickly, romantically, angri- ture that begins the story. ly, fearfully, clumsily, joyfully, Who are the characters? slowly, proudly, rigidly, gently, Where are they? a n x i o u s l y , e t c . b. Students create a middle 3. When the actor is finished, the frame or two, to show the rest of the class guesses the c o n f l i c t . w o r d . c. Students show the out- 4. The purpose of this game is to Marcel Marceau, the great French mime, as come or ending in a final teach how quality of movement his alter-ego, Bip. (Courtesy of Ronald frozen frame. can convey emotion, attitude Wilford Associates) d. These physical tableaux and tone. will capture the essence of what gets in the way of audience a scene and help students to Do You See What I See? recognition. If students are really use strong, uncluttered ges- 1.Students sit in semi-circle on the shy, then no talking is allowed tures and expressions. floor, and perform on at a time. until everyone has presented. 6. Have students perfect these 2. One student walks into the play- This helps to create a safe and tableaux until they can move ing area, looks around, sees focussed environment. quickly from one to the next and something imaginary, and com- hold them in stillness for the municates what s/he sees by Character/ Conflict/ Narrative count of five. his/her expression. This is a long narrative process and 7. Students can then fill in the tran- 4. When s/he returns to his/her can easily take two 40 minute class- sitions between the tableaux, seat, the other students guess es. It does, however, help with creating a smoothly flowing nar- what it is. understanding story and structure r a t i v e . 5. As an extension to this exercise, in other disciplines and can be students can handle the object. linked to the curriculum in a num- Remind students to take a ber of ways. Page 2 Trent Arterberry • Actions Speak Louder

Glossary and History

Glossary of Terms The First Mimes In a sense, mime was humankind’s Commedia dell’Arte M i m e—t he art of telling a story first language. From ancient cave In the fifteenth century Italian com- through movements of the body. paintings, we specu- edy theatre G e s t u r e—a movement of the late that primitive known as hands or body that communicates people acted out the Commedia dell’ or emphasizes an idea or feeling. hunting of animals, Arte emerged. P o s t u r e—a shape of the body to insure success in Commedia was that expresses an attitude or char- the real thing. performed by a c t e r . Perhaps he acted out t r a v e l l i n g I l l u s i o n—the appearance of his ideas of the ele- troupes of play- something happening that is not ments and the ori- ers, who impro- really happening. gins of the world. vised shows I s o l a t i o n—mov ing one part of based on stock the body separately from the rest. Mime in Ancient characters and C h a r a c t e r—a type of person. A Greece and Rome loose, largely participant in a story. It was in ancient i m p r o v i s e d C o n f l i c t—t he dramatic struggle Greece that real the- scripts. The of a story created by opposing atre emerged, and C o m m e d i a needs or desires of the characters. this theatre utilized Red Skelton, television star of the 1950’s, style was broad E n v i r o n m e n t—the place or set- mime. The Greek as Freddy the Freeloader. and slapstick, ting where a story occurs. plays used central with characters I m p r o v i s a t i o n—the act of per- characters and choruses who having exaggerated costuming and forming a scene without prepara- mimed as they spoke, and reacted body posturing. t i o n . physically to the action of the main By the sixteenth century, com- characters. These plays were per- media troupes had travelled History of Mime formed in vast amphitheaters and throughout Europe and enjoyed the use of mime increased the com- great popularity for over two hun- prehension for those too far to hear. dred years. Mime flourished in the Roman empire. Often performed by slaves, Mime Goes to France themes ranged from the serious In France, commedia competed enactment of myths and legends, to with the established local theatres, the farcical depiction of sporting the Comedie Fancaise and the events and local celebrities. Opera. These theatres persuaded the authorities to restrict their The Middle Ages Italian rivals to performing without In the tenth century, the church words. In doing so, they forced the recognized the value of theatre as a resourceful commedia companies teaching tool, promoting the mys- to rely on pantomime, and by the tery, morality, and miracle plays. 18th century, pantomime had Their themes consisted of biblical become a genuine theatrical genre stories, histories of the saints, and with its own actors, characters, and the common moral dilemmas of the composers. everyday person. They were per- In Paris in the 19th Century, the formed in the churches in the forms Boulevard du Temple was the cen- of tableaux and pantomime and ter of theatre, and it was a perpetu- were linked with dialogue. al fair with acrobats, animals, musi- There were also ritualistic spo- cians, and bizarre acts. One Charlie Chaplin, star of silent films, as the Little ken plays called mummers plays Boulevard theatre, the Theatre des Tramp in City Lights. (Courtesy of Institute acted out by village folk during cel- Funambules, produced pantomime ebrations. plays starring Jean-Gaspard

Page 3 Trent Arterberry • Actions Speak Louder History and Bibliography

Deburau. Deburau Marcel Marceau Jacques Lecoq played a Pierrot charac- Decroux’s other great There was another great French ter called Baptiste—a student was Marcel mime named Jacques LeCoq. slender, pale, ele- Marceau. Marceau founded a school in Paris whose gant jack-of-all- German began performing teachings include Commedia, mask trades who was mime- in 1946 and has work, and a personal approach to involved in fanta- clown- toured a solo clowning. Several of LeCoq’s stu- sy farcical situa- dancer, show which has dents have had great success Lotte tions. Deburau Goslar made him including Dimitri, the clown, and was tremendous- performs famous the Mummenshanz, the mask-mime ly popular with solo and world over. c o m p a n y . Parisian audi- with a In his show, company. ences until his (Courtesy Marceau portrays Women in Mime d e a t h . of Lotte Bip, a Pierrot-like There have been many wonderful Goslar) character reminis- women mimes. Collete (1873-1954), Silent Movies cent of Chaplin’s who was known throughout the When the moving Little Tramp. Bip world as a writer, also performed picture first came into plays as an artist, as a mime in music halls. Angna being, it was silent. bullfighter, and baby Enters (b. 1907) was a painter, Early films relied on sitter, attempts suicide, dancer, writer, composer and was action rather than word, and and travels by train. He is the first American concert mime. early film stars were great mimes an everyperson character with Mamako Yoneyama, a contempo- because of their skill with physical whom we all can identify. rary Japanese mime developed a communication. These mimes Marceau is the greatest theatri- special genre which she calls Zen included Buster Keaton, Harold cal mime of the 20th century as Mime. Lotte Goslar, a mime-clown- Lloyd, Stan Laurel and Oliver Deburau was during the 19th. dancer from Germany who came to Hardy, and the greatest of all, Through his television appearances the US in 1939, works both solo and Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin created a and hundreds of yearly concerts in with a company, The Pantomime Pierrot-like character called “the lit- great halls around the world, C i r c u s . tle tramp”, a humble, penniless Marceau has brought mime to a optimist who was always getting in new level of recognition and popu- Bibliography trouble but trying to make the best larity. Today, in his 70’s, Marceau out of every situation. Chaplin’s performs, teaches, and directs a Claude Kipnis. The Mime Book films were a great success and mime company in Paris. New York: Harper and Rowe played around the world. Publishers, 1974. Mime on Television Bari Rolfe. Mimes on Miming. Etienne Decroux During the 1950’s while Marceau Los Angeles: Panjandrum Books. In 1923, a French theatre student was popularizing mime on the Richmond Shepard. Mime: The named Etienne Decroux became stage, mime was also being per- Technique of Silence. New York: interested in the meaning, beauty, formed during the golden age of Drama Book Specialists, 1971. and drama of the human body. He television. Sid Ceasar and Imogene Ben Martin. Marcel Marceau, developed a form of mime called Coca played mime sketches on Master of Mime. New York: “mime corporeal” (mime of the “The Show of Shows”, and Red Paddington Press, Ltd., 1998 b o d y ) . Skelton made famous his silent Decroux had two famous stu- clown, “Freddy the Freeloader.” dents, Jean-Louis Barrault and Dick Van Dike began as a mime For more information, contact: Marcel Marceau. Barrault appeared performer in night clubs. During Trent Arterberry in the 1945 film “Les Enfants du the late seventies, the husband and PO Box 252 Paradis” (Children of Paradise) as wife team of Robert Shields and Sooke, BC Jean-Gaspard Deburau, the famous Lorene Yarnell had a brief-running V0S 1N0 Canada 19th century mime. television show devoted entirely to 1 (888) 642-2788 m i m e . [email protected] Page 4