HOME

Classical Pantomime

The words mime and Pantomime are often mixed up.

Nowadays the word "mime" means "Mime Corporal" : The theatre discipline which was developed by Etienne Decroux in Paris during The Second World War and which his pupil Marcel Marceau made world-famous. Mime is a very ascetic performing art: The actor acts on the stage without words, and finger-language, without props or set, and - if it has to be don by the book - also without costumes and music.

In a classical pantomime the actors are speaking to the audience and to each other in finger language. On the stage they can use set, props, costumes and music. The Classical French Pantomime was created In Paris c.1700 by Italian and French commedia dell'arte players. When king Louis the 14th had them kicked out of the established theatres and forbidden them to speak on the stage, the actors survived on the fairgrounds by using finger-language, acrobatic lazzi and magic tricks. A style we still find in a faded version at The Pantomime Theatre of Tivoli.

Torben Jetsmark has written, produced and directed more than 70 different performances for theatres and tv. Among others two productions for The Pantomime Theatre in Tivoli, Copenhagen..

The Lovers of Flaminia (1999)

A classical pantomime created on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the theatre.
Manuscript, masks and direction: Torben Jetsmark
Music: Anders Koppel

TRIPOLO (2000)

Manuscript, masks and direction: Torben Jetsmark
Set design and costumes: Caroline Pihl
Music: Fuzzy and Dan Johnsen