Here are some mime act ideas for beginners, children, and basically anyone who wishes to improve his/her mime skills. Mime is a technique that presents action or emotion without words by using only gesture, expression, and movement. This art began as early as ancient Greece, became popular in the age of silent films, and culminated with the famous French entertainer Marcel Marceau and his legendary character “Beep the Clown”.
But now it has been scientifically proven: Mime games are important for children’s development, and have been proven to contribute to academic success. Most scientific literature supports the claim that imaginative games can be used to prepare young children for entry into school, and for life in general. In a famous study conducted on the subject, the research team conducted “pretending games” with the children. Studies have shown that children who played with the responsible adult in imaginative games gained higher abilities in readiness and social integration compared to the control group in which the game was not performed. And beyond all these benefits, imagination and pantomime games are just fun!
Read below for some ideas of mime acts you can perform.
Mime Act Ideas
Trapped in a box: Maybe the most popular mime act idea, in this act you can pat the air around you from four sides as if you were stuck inside a box. Harden your hand as you hit the side of the imaginary box. You can open the lid and jump out of the box, or push the walls of the box to break free.
Rowing a canoe: Pretend you are rowing in a canoe with a paddle. Stand facing sideways from the audience and paddle. When the current push your canoe backward, try desperately to paddle the boat against the strong current. Or, if the water is calm, you can just go around in circles. to top it off, you can fall in the water.
Invisible rope: We love this mime act so much that we actually named this website after it. Pretend an imaginary rope is hanging from side to side in front of you. Grab it with both hands and pull yourself with it slowly.
Elevator ride: Turn your back to the audience and press the imaginary elevator button. After waiting for it to arrive, enter it and turn around. Press the inner elevator button and choose a floor. Now it’s time to go down – bend your knees and lower yourself as if you are riding the elevator. try to do it as smoothly as possible.
The stairs: Pretend you are walking down a staircase by kneeling down gradually while moving forward. It’s fun to do this mime act behind a couch or any other object that blocks the audience from seeing your feet. You can climb back up the stairs if you want.
Act like a fish: Make your mouth small, as if you are shrinking for a kiss. With both hands bent to the sides, rotate your fingers back and forth like fish fins. Swim around the room.
Act like an old man: Walk bent and pretend to use a cane. Shake your head and entire body from the effort.
Driving a car: Open the car door and go inside. Close the door after you enter, put the key in the ignition switch, and put your hands on the steering wheel. Start the car, then push the gas paddle and drive, waving to the crowd as you pass by, maybe dramatically break when road conditions require it. When you are done with your ride, stop the car, push the hand brake and turn off the switch. Get out of the car and close the door.
Driving a motorcycle: Quite similar to the previous one, just with a different type of vehicle. Sit on the motorcycle and hold the handlebars. Pull the right one back several times to start the engine and lift your legs up. Ride the motorcycle around the room. Try doing some tricks on your motorcycle, like doing a wheelie (riding on one wheel, lifting the front one).
Build a sandcastle: Pretend you are on the beach, sit on the ground and start filling your bucket with sand, using an imaginary digger. When the bucket is full, turn it upside down and push it to the ground. Gently lift the bucket up, and admire your beautiful sandcastle. You can add some finishing touches or do another one.
Bullfighter: Grab an imaginary red cloth and wave it in front of an imaginary bull. As the bull runs towards you, lift the fabric into the air and move to the side. Then turn your back on the audience and do it again from the other side. Try it from different angles.
The slide: Climb up the ladder of the slide, and reach for each step on the ladder. Once up, slide down. Slide the spiral slide, hold the sides and go lower and lower.
Monkey Bars: Grab the bar with one hand, then grab the next bar with the other hand, and continue until you cross the monkey bars. Turn around and cross the monkey bars from the other direction. Jump down at the end.
Sliding down a pole: Grab an imaginary pole. Now spin around, making sure to bend down and lower yourself while sliding down the pole.
Carousel: Get on the carousel, and hold the pole. Ascending and descending, be sure to continue to hold the pole. Go in circles, and wave to the crowd as you pass by.
Benefits of Mime Acts
Those mime act ideas are good in order to teach beginners, drama students, or children the basic elements of mime. Mime can be a useful activity in encouraging and aiding students to:
- develop their acting skills in terms of body language (posture, movements, gestures, etc).
- gain a greater awareness of the importance of body language as a form of communication.
- develop more confidence performing in front of others.
Do you have any other ideas for mime acts? write us in the comments!