The art of mime can be considered as one of the most French art forms. The modern style of mime, which started in the Parisian theatre in the early 1800s and later produced perhaps the most well-known mime artist in recent years in Marcel Marceau, a French whose performances of his persona, “Bip the Clown” achieved international acclaim. But is France still the “mime capital of the world”, and where can you find mimes in Paris?
Why Paris is the Mime Capital?
The modern style of mime developed from the historic Commedia dell’Arte. In the 1920s, Etienne Decroux, a mime giant (and a French) contributed to this art what would become pantomime clichés (or classic acts, if I may), such as “pulling the rope,” “walking against the wind,” and “wall.” Over the years they were developed by Decroux and another great mime artist named Jean-Louis Barrault, into what would be considered the art of modern mime. In his school in Boulogne-Bancor, where he taught his ”Etienne Decroux Technique”, many hundreds of students passed through and a new generation of mime artists rose.
In 1923, another Frenchman named Jacques Copeau opened a theater arts school where he used the art of mime to improve the acting skills of his students. Through the influence of such greats as Jean-Louis Barrault and Marcel Marceau, French mime developed into exciting art.
Marcel Marceau will always hold a special place in the history of mime, as the first that took the classic mime to the very popular and successful. His career as a mime artist soared after World War II when he joined Jean-Louis Barrault’s team and got the role of Harlequin in the mime show “Baptiste”. Marceau’s performance earned him so much praise that he embarked on a solo career and over the years earned the reputation of being the greatest mime artist of the 20th century.
Marceau, a personal friend of Charlie Chaplin and the one who admired him from childhood, founded the prestigious School of Mantrama of Paris and made it a world leader. With time, the city of Paris became a synonym of the art of mime.
Where Are There Mimes in Paris?
So where can you see mimes in Paris today?
Personally, I have seen a few street performers doing mime in Montmartre, and at the entrance to the Versailles Palace. on the Trip Advisor forum, there were a few other suggestions. Annette mentioned that “Sometimes there’s one on the Pont St. Louis (bridge) between Ile de la Cite and Ile St. Louis”. Another one wrote: “There are often performance artists around the Pompidou Center.”
Keep in mind that street performances are not fixed in place, and might change with the trend and the movement of the crowds. For example, in my last time in Paris, I encountered many more “golden robots” and other human statues acts than mimes, and even some football freestylers. I guess it is a matter of public demand.
Oh, and there is another place where you can see mimes in Paris.
Paris Use Mimes To Silence Drunk People
The next time you’re talking loudly at two in the morning on the streets of Paris, be prepared for a tap on the shoulder and a performance from a mime suggesting you quiet down. The city of Paris is trying to combat noise pollution in the late evening and early morning hours by sending a horde of mimes to the streets. These night-mimes, or “nocturnal artistic intervention squads,” are being used in 15 neighborhoods around Paris in a tactic that was proven effective in Vienna, Tarragona, and Barcelona, according to Business Insider.
So here you go, a way to get a drink and a show!