Mime can do more than just create invisible walls

White face paint, striped shirts, and the futile attempt to break through an invisible wall: this is how many people imagine pantomime. The 41st International Mime Theater Festival Dresden, taking place November 11–15, aims to show that the art of wordless storytelling is capable of much more. At the Theaterhaus Rudi, artists from seven countries will present a program ranging from pantomime and clowning to puppetry, dance, and object theater.

Art that touches the heart

The festival’s scope is deliberately broad, says Michael Meinel of the organizing Mimenstudio Dresden e.V. The focus is on storytelling without spoken language. “Mime is understood worldwide,” says Meinel.

While words must first be processed in the mind, movements, facial expressions, and gestures have an immediate effect. The festival is therefore not limited to classical mime, as made famous by the French artist Marcel Marceau, for example. Rather, the key is wordless storytelling in its diverse forms of expression.

“It’s about storytelling; it’s about direct narratives—and also about the fact that the spoken word in theater must always first be filtered through the mind before it reaches the heart. And movement is a way—the mind doesn’t stand a chance. It goes straight to the emotions, so to speak,” explains Meinel.

Don’t just watch—join in!

The festival opens on November 11 with a gala hosted by Mimenstudio Dresden e.V. Under the title “Es ist angerichtet” (The Table Is Set), the hosts will explore the world of gastronomy.

Those who want to do more than just watch—and would like to try their hand at creating stories without words—will also have the opportunity to do so. On November 7 and 8, a workshop titled “Beyond Words—Dynamics and Qualities of Movement” invites participants to explore the possibilities of physical expression. The workshop is open to both amateurs and professional artists.

The workshop will be led by “Compagnie À Fleur de Peau.” The Paris-based duo—comprising Brazilian Denise Namura and German Michael Bugdahn—will work with participants to develop their own theatrical structures. The results will then be presented on stage at the festival’s opening.