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IMAGO
Come with Imago (rhymes with Chicago), formerly "Theater Mask Ensemble,"
to a world of live human animation, where fantasy and ultra-realistic illusion
are the height of entertainment. The masks/costumes are ingenious, the music
is original, and the performers are masters of mime, dance and drama. All
come together in imaginative performances that move from the whimsical to
reflection and back again. Jerry Mouawad, Carol Triffle and company are
trained in the renowned Lecoq approach to mime theater, contemporary dance,
physical comedy and traditional mask styles. They add their own inventive
variations with American flair, to create characters that are more than
human and stagings that defy categorization. Is it theatre, mime, comedy,
dance, special effects or illusion? It's a provocative sojourn into the
familiar and unknown.
IMAGO provides a creative blend of a variety of arts including drama,
mime, dance, visual art and music. Through the use of mime and masks, scenes
unfold for the viewer. Legends, myths and stories are presented in a creative
and animated form. The mood of IMAGO is set through the use of silence
or diverse sounds such as folk music from Bali, Italy and Indonesia, movie
scores or rock and roll. Visual arts are utilized in the creation of the
masks and costuming. Traditional masks as well as contemporary forms are
used to encourage the viewer's imagination to take over and allow the illusion
to be "real".
Our Contemporary Art Theme is uniquely supported by IMAGO through
its ability to combine and blend the arts of drama, dance, mime, music and
visual. Drama and comedy are brought together. The use of illusion, engineering,
architecture and physics are incorporated into the performance.
Included in this educational guide is:
A brief history of theater, mime, masks, dance.
An introduction to IMAGO, the company, the artists and performances.
Ideas to be used before and after the performance
Suggested educational activities.
Examples of mime, legends, literature and masks.
Note: Younger students need to be told by their teacher that IMAGO
is a human play and that the characters are not real. The masks are designed
for the stage.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF MIME
Mime is a creative dramatic expression,
usually without the use of words. The similarities between mime and spoken
acting includes: an imaginative actor; a dramatic composition involving
character, conflict, theme and story; an audience and a commitment to the
material being presented. It could be considered silent acting. However,
mime has a style of its own. Today, the terms mime and pantomime are interchangeable.
Mime is centered around the philosophy of detailed simplicity.
Mime is considered one of the earliest mediums of self- expression. It was
first used as a part of formal theater in the Orient. Mime has been a part
of the national theater in both Japan and China. The Greeks later used mime
as a form of acting in conjunction with dance. The traveling jester was
one form of mime viewed during the Middle Ages. During this same time, church
dramas also used a form of mime in the miracle plays. Mime was reborn in
Europe during the Renaissance. The court jesters and clowns as seen in Shakespearean
comedies allowed the mime form to continue. By the 19th century, mime had
become a familiar theatrical form as seen in the Noh theatre in Japan, the
Commedia in Italy, the melodramas in France and America. Three styles or
schools of mime emerged from the forms developed in the Orient, Italy and
France.
Mime in America is eclectic and blends many styles. American mime suggests
the emergence of a fourth school of mime.
It is a melting pot with much experimentation.
Basically, there are two major types of mime: literal and abstract or a
combination of both. These types are evident in all the schools of mime.
Literal mime is primarily used for comedy and story theater. Literal mime
generally tells a story with a conflict through the use of a main character.
The actions and visual design clearly tell the viewers the story which is
usually humorous.
Abstract mime is used to generate feelings, thoughts and images from a serious
topic or issue. Normally there is no plot or central character. It is considered
a more intuitive experience or image rather than literal actions.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF DRAMA AND THEATER
Drama originated with early people using
rhythm, music and dance to worship nature, the harvest or a successful hunt.
Stories grew out of these peoples imitations of nature and their gods. The
stories became important for viewing rather than for religious ceremonies
and literature evolved. Drama is a type of literature that tells a story
through the dialogue and actions of its characters and is designed to be
performed for an audience. The story or play can be serious and are referred
to as tragedies. Play that emphasize the ridiculous and are comic are called
comedies. Some plays have a mixture of both characteristics such as the
melodrama or the tragicomedy.
A theater is a place, indoors or outdoors, where people perform before an
audience. The term "theater" means action and is many times connected
with performances on a stage by live actors as well as film and television.
Greek drama is thought to have influenced the course of modern playwriting
more than the drama of any other culture. Greek drama originated from religious
festivals and rituals. Roman drama was based on the Greek models. During
Medieval time the church used dramatic scenes in its services to more clearly
illustrate religious teachings. With the Renaissance, new ideas and drama
forms were introduced. Shakespeare was considered an outstanding playwright
of this time. Drama has evolved with the use of a variety of writing including
neoclassicism, romanticism, realism, naturalism and expressionism.
Early American drama was based primarily on the English model. 20th century
American drama has included the emergence of the little or art theater.
The little theater allowed for more creative drama without the pressure
of commercial interests. The off Broadway and off-off Broadway theaters
have encouraged the development of regional companies. By the 1960's, American
playwrights began to address the concerns of ethnic and other groups. In
the 1970's and 1980's, some dramatists created "performance pieces".
Performance pieces stress the importance of images, movement and music or
other sound rather than dialogue. Their purpose is to stir thought and increase
sensitivity through associations aroused in the minds of the audience.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF MASKS
"God has given you one face and you
make yourself another" - William Shakespeare
A mask is a face made in any form the mind can imagine and once a mask is
put in place a transformation takes place. The mask wearer's appearance
is immediately changed and his new face empowers him to amuse, to perform
or even frighten.
Historically, the primitive and ancient mask makers were highly respected
by members of their society. Masks often took months to complete. The imagery
of the mask was diverse with the use of faces of animals (real or imaginary),
ancestors, deities and spirits to invoke things such as rain and plentiful
crops. Masks were used for rites of passage, cure of diseases, entertainment
and storytelling.
The classical masks of Comedy and Tragedy originated from the ancient Greeks.
These masks have become a universal symbol of theater. The Greeks introduced
the mask to theater as a means of representing human types and personalities
rather than spirits or supernatural beings. The Roman masks were usually
more grotesque and exaggerated in order that the audience might more readily
recognize the role of the actor. Masks continued to be used during the Middle
Ages in Europe for religious plays, festivals and pageants. Intricate theatrical
masks are produced in the Orient and continue to be used in the depiction
of dragons, demons, ghosts and gods. The Pacific Northwest masks used in
the Kwakiutl Indians myth ceremonies are unique in that these have numerous
transformations with one mask being multi- layered to expose for example
a bullhead which opens to reveal a raven which then opens to expose a human
face mask.
Today, the professional mask-maker primarily works in theatrical production
for plays and dances contemporary mask makers rely on the inspiration of
traditional styles of masks. Common and readily available materials such
as paper plates, grocery bags, fabric, cardboard and newspaper can lend
themselves to the creation of a face of fantasy.
BASIC COMPONENTS OF A MIME PERFORMANCE
1. A performer must be able to devise
an idea, experience the idea and communicate the idea to an audience.
2. An idea should be a topic with much potential for development.
3. The space used is usually an empty or neutral area.
4. The audience which views the mime is alert, supportive and sensitive.
5. Physical and performance techniques are utilized by the mime performer.
This might include the use of music or abstract sounds.
EXAMPLE: COMPONENTS OF A MIME PIECE
A Mime piece is made up of sections, units
and beats.
Story: The Big Date
Sections:
I. Getting ready
2. Leaving the house
3. Driving to the date
4. Arriving at the date's house
Units: For Getting Ready
1. Looking at the clock
2. Running to the shower
3. Taking the shower
4. Drying Off
5. Running to the dresser
6. Rummaging through the dresser
7. Getting dressed
8. Looking for a lost shoe etc.
Beats: For Taking a shower
1. Pull back the shower curtain
2. Turn on the shower
3. Step into the shower
4. Close the shower curtain
5. Reach for the cloth
6. Reach for the soap
7. Scrub the body quickly
8. Turn off the shower
9. Open the curtain 1
0. Step out of the tub 1
1. Reach for the towel
12. Dryoff
A BRIEF HISTORY OF DANCE
From the beginning of prehistoric times,
dance has served as one of man's most useful tools. Historians tell us that
the spiritual needs of early man probably prompted or initiated, what could
be termed, man's first dance-oriented movements. The magico-religious aspects
of early man were a dominant feature in his existence and tended to cross-over
and influence many areas of his life.
In general, we can define dance as being a movement ritual-a series of abstract
or symbolic movements executed in either an unpremeditated, spontaneous,
or preconceived, organized manner. Dance is a rhythmic movement of the body.
The word "dance" probably comes from the old High German word
danson, meaning to "stretch out".
Historically, dance has functioned to:
1. obtain spiritual gratification and fulfillment;
2. acquire and maintain health through spiritual requests;
3. ceremonialized all life-crisis events, such as birth, puberty and death;
4. make supplication and give thanks for successful hunt, a bountiful harvest
and all other aspects of life critical to man's survival;
5. strengthen and maintain community cohesiveness when engaged in social
and recreational purposes;
6. fulfill man's needs for artistry and beauty through its use as an entertainment
medium.
Contemporary dance includes a blending of modern dance and ballet as well
as improvisation, non-dance movements such as marching and acrobatics, abstracted
themes and multimedia combining film, light, and diverse music.
IMAGO'S PERSPECTIVE: MASK THEATRE
IMAGO'S perspective and theatre presentations
have been influenced by various historical developments within theatre and
its use of masks.
From classical Greek tragedy to the potlach ceremonies of the Northwest
Indians, masks have fascinated, intimidated and entertained people throughout
the world. Although it is not the traditional art in the United States that
it has been for centuries in other cultures, mask theatre has had an influence
on our American life. For example, the street theatre of Italy and Europe
certainly set the stage for our improvisational comedy and the American
slapstick movies. Those in the Pacific Northwest are touched frequently
by the influence of the Kwakiutl Indians, whose masks and woodworking skills
are mirrored in the Indian art of our communities.
Modern mask theatre is a combination of mime, dance and ritual, which is
an art form in itself. A mask allows an actor to change into an entirely
different being. As the actor changes, so does the mask itself. It is a
magic experience for the artist and audience alike.
The use of masks in the tribal and ceremonial rites of Northwestern Indian,
Indonesian and African cultures have many common elements. With their rich
traditions of mythology, folktale and legend, these cultures illustrate
the important events in their histories with masks, special effects, puppets
and mechanical devices.
The masks used in these ceremonial theatrics were ornately carved, painted
and frequently inlaid with shell or glittering pieces of metal. Bark or
fur might have been used to represent mustaches and hair, and many of the
masks had movable parts for the eyes and jaws that could be opened and closed.
Mythological creatures such as monsters or animals were well-represented
and many featured the more spectacular elements of mask making and movement.
Commedia del Arte was undoubtedly the most popular form of entertainment
in 16th century Italy. This type of drama was almost entirely improvised
and could be adapted to almost any playing condition. The actor was the
most important element of Commedia. The word Arte signified that the Commedia
actors were professionals, in contrast to the amateurs who performed neoclassical
dramas at courts and academies.
The script was merely a scenario that summaries the principal action and
its outcome. The actors improved much of the dialogue and developed the
plot complications as the situation seemed to demand. The troupes, often
composed of several generations of the same family, traveled from place
to place, often using wagons for both transportation and staging.
Another basic characteristic of the Commedia was the set of stock characters
that appeared in all the plays with the same actor always playing the same
stock role. These characters often had the same name in the scenarios and
can be divided into several types:
-The straight roles were the lovers, who usually
did not wear masks and were costumed in the fashionable garments of the
day.
-The comic character roles who wore characteristic masks and costumes for
instant audience identification. Three of the most common were Pantalone,
a miserly old merchant; Capitano, a boastful, foolish solder; and Dottore,
a pedantic bore who was usually a doctor or professor.
- The comic servants, know collectively as zanni, were usually the most
popular characters. The male zannia, called Arlecchino or Harlequin, was
the most adept of the Zanni. He had to be an acrobat, musician, and a comic.
Arlecchino is identified by his use of a white skull cap, black half-mask
and a suit with diamond-shaped patches.
According to Eitenne Decroux, a mast and teacher
of mime and illusion, the art of mime is outside or rather beyond all instinct.
To develop it, one must do all the supple and strong exercises; the mind
must be constantly awake and aware; one needs a good will without defiance
or weakness, and an ideal in one's heart.
IMAGO embraces the rich past of theatre and ceremonies and utilizes these
within their contemporary presentations. The company successfully combines
the use of masks, mime and movement.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Using a blend of illusion, mask and mime,
IMAGO's artists bring to life a multitude of creatures that defy gravity
and anatomy. They invite you to suspend beliefs and enjoy humorous and surreal
experiences.
The performances for the children's program is composed of pieces selected
from the following repertoire:
Frogs:
One or two frogs finds it difficult keeping up
with the leaping antics of his colleagues. This delightful amphibious illusion
is IMAGO's signature piece that has been seen throughout the world.
Walks:
In a playful series of crossovers the troupe demonstrates
the many ways people walk, and how through walks we can understand what
a person is like. The company selects a group of students that join the
performers on stage in a light hearted sequence of mimicking one another's
walks.
The Bus Stop:
With a group of students, the company introduces
the audience to how a mask can come to life. With comedy masks from Switzerland,
the group of people waiting at a bus stop in which they always miss the
bus.
The Backwards Man:
In a clever distortion of the human body, a mask
is placed on the back of the head. In this solo it is hard to distinguish
up from down or back from front.
Metamorphosis:
These unusual abstracted human/animal creatures
introduce students to the dramatic power of the mask, recreating for their
eyes a surrealistic view of the animal world.
Larvabatic:
One of IMAGO's most popular works features a worm
performing incredible acrobatic feats. In this illusion, our eyes see one
thing, but our mind wants to see another.
The Man/Frog Legend:
This piece is an adaptation of a Kwakiutl Indian
story from the Northwest Coast of America. Two performers tell the story
of a man who hides in a frog skin to improve his hunting skills. But each
night the man finds it more and more difficult to remove the skin. The
piece concludes with a dance of a transformation mask. This special effects
mask is a startling depiction of a man caught in a frog's body.
Ball:
IMAGO will offer this new piece to their exciting
repertoire. This giant sphere takes on a number of shapes and entities.
Is it vegetable, mineral or extraterrestrial?
Slinky:
With hula hoops, swimwear fabric, wooden dowels,
foam and plywood, a mother Slinky and her child are brought to life with
the magic of IMAGO.
Oskar:
This piece honors Oskar Schlemmer, a German artist
and choreographer of the Bauhaus movement who in the 20's depersonalized
dancers by means of masks and fantastic costumes.
Monkeys:
Enjoy the movements and actions of monkeys as
they scamper around the stage. The humor of the monkeys and their antics
make this Imago piction quite special.
BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE
The live performance scheduled with Imago
is designed to both entertain and instruct. In order to prepare students
for this event, it is important to stimulate interest in the various areas
of performing and visual arts and to provide historic, geographical and
cultural background.
1. Discuss drama and the use of mime. Have the
students demonstrate gestures or movements that communicate common ideas
2. Show the students pictures or examples of masks used in different cultures.
3. Discuss the differences between using theatre and dance in a ritual
and using it for entertainment purposes
4. Read some of the legends from various cultures such as Indonesia or
the Northwest American Indian tribes.
IMPRESSIONS AFTER THE PERFORMANCE
Questions to stimulate discussion of the
performance could include:
1. Did you understand the actors even though they weren't speaking?
2. Give some examples of how the actors communicated with each other without
using words.
3. Describe the sounds and music used in this performance
4. What props or costumes did the actors use?
5. Which stories or scenes did you like best? Why?
6. How did the actors express emotions?
7. Which scene(s) utilized illusion? What was done to create this illusion?
8. How do the sounds relate to the movements? ...to the story?
THE FORM FOR A BASIC MIME CRITIQUE
The following questions can be used to
initiate discussion concerning a specific Image story or scene.
Objective
Was the purpose of intent of the piece achieved?
Literal
Was the story told in a visually interesting manner?
Was the piece visually interesting to watch?
Was the audience moved in some way?
Abstract
Was the audience left with a feeling for the piece?
Was the audience left with an understanding of the message or point of
view being made?
Was the piece visually interesting to watch?
Was the audience moved in some way?
Imagination
Was the piece imaginatively presented?
How else could the artist have presented this piece?
Was the image of the performer(s) imaginative?
Stage Presence and Presentation
Did the performer(s) take command of the stage?
Was the focus of the piece clear and easy for the audience to follow?
Did the performer have physical control of the piece?
Was the stage space well used?
Did the performance have vitality, freshness, and spark?
Did the group seem to work well together artistically?
Did the piece have a beginning, a flow, and a conclusion?
Did the piece have rhythmical variety - fasts and slows, staccato and smooth
movements, others?
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