The Upstage Interview, Jean Asselin

Theatre Etiquette as Told Through The Art of Mime

Literature is an accident to theatre while the body is really the substance. 


Upstage Host Eric Sukhu spoke with Artistic Director of Omnibus Theatre Jean Asselin about the International Mime Festival of Montreal RIMM 5. Below is an abridged version edited by Estelle Rosen, CharPo Editor-In-Chief.

UPSTAGE

I was there on Monday for the opening at Espace Libre; such a wonderful space. Does Omnibus occupy the entire building?

ASSELIN

We use it for the mime company, plus mime school and theatre. This allows us to produce and present our shows in the same theatre.

Etienne Decroux revolutionized mime by bringing to the body a dramatic form. Mime brought a lot to dance and circus.


UPSTAGE

Is  Omnibus the only mime school in Montreal?

ASSELIN

Omnibus has enjoyed a significant role in mime. The idea of mime is probably one of the oldest in the world. Rules of the art began around 1920. Marcel Marceau made mime known, but as a minor art form.

UPSTAGE

Most people only think of Marceau when we say mime. They don’t know there are artists who are professionals in mime. In fact, many people think it’s only dance. What would you say to that?

ASSELIN

We think of dance because body movement is involved. In fact this is the theme of our Festival. The founder of modern mime, Etienne Decroux, revolutionized mime by bringing to the body a dramatic form. Mime brought a lot to dance and circus.

  

My knowledge of body culture enhances a text by making it as meaningful as possible.


UPSTAGE

What Is the usual reason students are interested in mime?

ASSELIN

Many are interested in making sense of movement.  Actually it helped me a lot  in directing Shakespeare. I have directed 13 Shakespeare plays, most recently Romeo & Juliet for Repercussion’s Shakespeare In The Park. My knowledge of body culture enhances a text by making it as meaningful as possible.

Art forms are very mixed these days. The one thing I think we did with this school is to have an orthodox view of the body which makes it the substance of theatre.

I like to say that literature is an accident to theatre while the body is really the substance. 

Classes are composed of people of all ages. Everyone can take what they need from mime. It reminds me of when I was a student of Decroux in 1972, Jessica Lange was a big star at the time. She was quoted as saying the main part of her formation was not so much Actors Studio as Decroux. Mime formation can also give a lot to an actor who speaks.

In our work  the transposition of reality is more important than anecdotes for example. Narration is less important than images which are so implicit whereas words are explicit and slow to define things.

We like our students to develop the sensitivity to be good onlookers of their partners, their shows, their art forms, and to recognize the significance of not only looking at things.

UPSTAGE

Has mime changed over the years?

ASSELIN

It has evolved incredibly. At Omnibus, we did many categories of mime from pure mime to what I call impurity. When we did Titus Andronicus for example, we didn’t cut one single line, but the body had to thin down to let Shakespearian verses come through. This physical formation makes the play very meaningful.

To Oct 1

Espace Libre