Education and Inspiration through the ancient art of storytelling!
Mime and pantomime, gesture and body language can add another dimension to the art of storytelling. With the right gesture or motion you can create images from thin air. Hands can hold and use an invisible prop that becomes real in the imagination of the audience. With a carefully modulated use of rhythmic motions you can ride an invisible horse across an imaginary meadow.
There are several games and activities that can help a storyteller learn to master this silent language that can say so much.
One game is called the magic something. It is best played with a partner or in a small group. The game is played in four steps: first you imagine it, then you shape it, then you use it, then your partner guesses. First you must decide what you want to make the piece of magic into, choose something that you can hold in your hand, something ordinary that you use every day at home or at school. Next you reach into a pocket and pull out an invisible bit of magic. Peek into a closed hand. With facial expressions make believe there is really something there. Then you carefully shape the object. Do not draw it, it is hard to see what you are drawing in thin air, hold it; let us know with the shape of your hands and body: is it round, flat, big and heavy, or long and skinny? Then you use it. Do you swing it (a bat)? Do you eat it(a sandwich)? Do you read it (a book)? Finally the partner tries to guess what it is. But if the partner is wrong it is not their fault, your job is to tell them what it is without any words so they do not have to guess, they should know immediately.
Here is an example: First I reach into my back pocket to give you a clue. I pull something out of my pocket and show you that it is flat and skinny by holding my hands close together. I imagine looking at my reflection in a mirror as I pull this object through my hair. I use my fingers to straighten my part. What is this piece of magic? A comb. It should be that easy. The important thing is that every gesture is clear. Just as you do not slur your words, you do not want to make sloppy gestures. If the audience does not know what it is that your body is saying it is a distraction instead of an addition to your story. Practice in front of a mirror to ensure that each gesture is sharp and distinct. If you are drinking a cup of tea then one hand becomes the saucer while the other holds the cup. If it is British tea you hold the handle. If it is Japanese tea you hold the cup.
After mastering individual gestures, put them together to tell a silent story. Wordless picture books are a fun place to start. The first story I told in pantomime was a combination of The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats and The Snowman by Raymond Briggs. Children giggle with delight when I throw snowballs at them or lean against a chair and make snow angels. I have also made up several short pieces that depict scenes from everyday life. One of my favorite pieces to perform is called “Waking Up.” I stumble out of bed and into the bathroom. I turn on the water and wash my face. For older children I pop a zit on my forehead. Then I get out my tooth brush and tooth paste and brush my teeth. They usually laugh when I spit out the foam and brush my tongue. An easy illusion to help illustrate this story is to brush your teeth with an imaginary toothbrush. Simply move your hand back and forth beside your face while moving your tongue back and forth inside your closed mouth. If you can get the timing right it really looks like you are brushing your teeth.
The trick to making it believable is to pay attention to details: twisting off the lid to the paste and setting it down; remembering to turn off the water while you brush your teeth. These little gestures clarify the large ones and add segue to the story.
You can make up your own little story. Pick a scene from every day life, making a sandwich, or mowing the lawn, and try to tell the story without any words. Again, practicing in front of a large mirror helps you to see what you are doing to work out any kinks.
Remember, if there is a table and you set things on it, make sure you come back to the same spot each time. This is called staging and it makes the illusion much more believable.
A simple exercise that helps clowns to stage the story is to drop a cloth or coin on the floor. Walk away from it several steps. Close your eyes, turn around, walk back to the object, bend and pick it up with your eyes closed. If you can put your hand on it most every time it shows that you have a strong spatial awareness. Try it!
These are only a few of the many exercises you can learn to help you use your body while performing. Mime and pantomime, gesture and body language can add a bit of magic to your program that speaks directly to the imagination of your listener.
