Mime: The Improvisational Theater, Commedia Dell'arte

Mime is an art form where a person performs on stage while using theatrical medium without use of speech. Moreover, a mime artist is known as mime, mime artist or imitator.

This art form contains miming, or the acting out a story through body motions. In previous time, such performer would typically be called as a mummer, in English. As per the experts, miming is to be distinguished from silent comedy, in which the artist is a flawless character in a film or sketch. At the time of the Italian renaissance, a new mime came into existence. It was the creation of the impromptu theater known as Commedia dell'arte.

Many people believe that miming became a popular performance form in Europe and England but was primarily recognized in Paris. Miming was a familiar performance of fairgrounds and traveling troupes and placed emphasis on music instead of spoken dialog in order to keep costs down. During 1800s, Parisian mime Jean-Gaspard Deburau set many of the elements recognized in modern mimes such as silent performances and white, painted faces. 

Source: www.reference.com

By: Priyanka Negi