A Brief History of Mime

My MIME Performance on Horror Kung Fu Theater



(This was shot from backstage on a digital camera/this is not the TV footage)
I am a mime and I'm proud of that. I trained hard learning the art of mime. I really studied it seriously with an amazing and legendary teacher, Whitney Rydbeck, and have worked as a mime professionally on several occasions. I know it may seem weird and geeky or whatever, but I really love being a mime and I think it's very cool. It's a small passion of mine, and an incredibly fun one. Now for some fun and interesting facts about the art of mime.

Comic pantomime/mime performance was originally developed by Bathullos of Alexandria, and the first recorded mime (pantomime actor) was Telestēs in the play "Seven against Thebai" by Aiskhulos. These plays were created as important parts of the Greek Dionysian festivals. Tragic pantomime performance was developed by Puladēs of Kilikia, and although it was a very well respected art form, it never became quite as popular as the comedies. Centuries later the tragic mime character would finally catch on with the main-stream when French and Italian clowns were combined with dramatic, tragic, and romantic operas and ballets.
Some of the different Roman Emperors had conflicting opinions and beliefs about mimes.
**It is interesting to note here that the Roman Emperors who showed any serious interest/belief/or opinion concerning mimes, are the very same Roman Emperors whose sanity is most questioned by our modern history/medical scholars and physicians**.
Traiānus banished mimes from Rome, Caligula adored them, Aurelius made them priests of Apollōn, and the Emperor Nero himself acted as a mime. Mimes were also some of the most popular figures in the masquerades. Some mimes wore make-up, and others wore masks. In Venice many masquerade masks were based on popular characters from the Italian improv, Commedia Del Arte’ (comedy of errors).
Masquerading is very popular at carnivals, festivals, and balls. Wearing a mask/make-up or other disguise is very liberating. It allows you to reinvent yourself and adopt a new/different/or secret personality.
The tradition of the masquerade dates back to ancient Greek drama festivals that were thrown to honor Dionysus, the god of wine, sex, fertility, and the theater. The practice of wearing masks/make-up and costumes was shared among both the performers/actors/acrobats/musicians and guests of the festival, and was passed from Greece to Rome, and from Rome to Venice. Physical comedy evolved out of mime, and the early film comedy actors, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Stan Laurel were all very talented mimes. Today mime is being performed by me, here in Los Angeles. :-)

John C. Reilly, Performance Art, and my Bloody Death Scene.

Monday night I performed in Madame Pamita's "Parlor of Wonders" show. I did my silent movie tribute-mime act (inspired by the work of Stan Laurel, Buster Keaton, and Charlie Chaplin). The response I got from the crowd was very heartwarming. They really liked what I did.
It is inspiring to be appreciated. Following your dreams can be very discouraging sometimes and Hollywood is an especially tough town. This was a very special event though.
There were ukulele players and banjo players. There was fortune telling and an awesome puppeteer named Eli Presser who had the creepiest little marionette I've ever seen. The show was at The Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena and they filmed the entire thing.
John C. Reilly was there and he told me I was great, and that I had a terrific face. That was very cool and I totally appreciated it. He and I had a nice little conversation about Del Close.

The Evangenitals (the greatest band in California) played at Mr. T's Bowl in Highland Park tonight (Tues. night). It was quite an event. Juli wore a hot pink prom dress, vegan combat boots, and a tiara. Bass player Keith Lubow was wearing a sailor suit. And Elizabeth Swenson and I were there representing IMPROV! We did a whole series of experimental-interpretive-movement-performance-art pieces that were directly inspired by the songs being played by the band. We were raw and fluid and the experience was magical. There was amazing trust and risk and energy. We were physically fearless and did somersaults and we jumped and leapt through the air, rolled around on the floor, and spun each other around. It feels so good to do something that requires such BALLS! It feels good to be fearless and non-self concious. It was strange and special and I felt the creativity vibrations going crazy all throughout my body and shooting out in my performance. The people in the audience seemed to like it as well. They approached me afterward and thanked and congratulated me. It was weird and I loved it. Things have been weird lately. I have been going through strange times and re-discovering myself in odd spots. It is a time of growth, re-birth, and settling into what will never be settled.
Greg Cohen (photographer) was filming the show and I will have that footage soon... fear not!

The footage from the Sick End Films production, "Arkill", is now available to view (as a roughcut). Pay close attention at the end and you will see my ultra-violent blood and gore death scene.

Parlor of Wonders show!

I was invited to perform in this show. It's really exciting and I am looking forward to it. It's very refreshing to know that this many vintage style vaudeville performers are gathering together for such a cool event.

Parlor of Wonders show!

Be in a Motion Picture! Madame Pamita's Parlor of Wonders at the Coffee Gallery Backstage on Monday, September 22nd!
Yes! You the audience will be in the spotlight as we are filmed with the most up-to-date moving picture equipment available! This is a full-blown variety show with audience participation and many surprises to astound and amaze!
A Cornucopia of Varieties Featuring:

Pantomime Hilarity by Patrick Ian Moore
Marionette Manipulations by Eli Presser
Euphonious Prognostications by Madame Pamita, the musical mystic
Ukulele Antics by Ukelear Winter
Musical Merriment provided by Patrick "The Idiot Saw-vant" Weise, Lucas
"Soup Greens" Gonze, and John "The Six String Scot" McDuffie
and more!

And it is all FREE!
Join us for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see acts of the highest caliber and be a part of an actual cinematic record!
Monday, September 22 8PM
The Coffee Gallery Backstage
2029 N. Lake
Altadena, California 91001

MIME NEEDED? I got the gig!

The post said:
MIME NEEDED
We are having a french theme wedding at Castle Green in Pasadena and would love a Mime to perform for one hour on November 2nd, 2008 from 12 noon to 1 pm.
Although we are paying, we have a limited budget. Please contact us if you would like to discuss further. $100.00

This is on my birthday, and I got the gig.
They responded:
Hello Patrick,
It seems fated that since November 2nd is a special day for both you and us!
We only have $100 in our budget.
We need 1 hour tops to greet our guests, perform for 15 minutes after the
ceremony walk to the reception together two blocks away
We want a procession to the reception of our guests in black tie led by you
to the reception.
How does that sound to you?
It's certainly not a deal breaker but if you have a black and white striped
shirt that would be awesome!
I will e-mail you a contract this week. Please sign and mail back to me.

It's so cool that some people out there like mimes so much!

The Rhino Room Experience

Be A Guest on Our Webcast TV Show (Claremont)

The Rhino Room is looking for unique guests, muscians, aspiring actors, rappers, models. If you have something to sell, we'd like to help.
Help us help you. We are a webcast TV show looking to help promote and get your name out there and have fun while doing it. Come on to our show and be a guest. Please reply with your info, picture, & or myspace.
We are also looking for potential tattoo clients for our show. If you are choosen tattoos will be paid for by the Rhino Room. Tattoos must be able to be completed within a 2 - 2 1/2 hour session. We have a studio in our studio.
*** For your safety and the safety of our other guests and crew, tattoos are performed in a controled environment by a licensed professional certified in Bloodbourne pathogens. ***
...What are you waiting for?! Contact us now! This is something that I did. I responded to the ad and was invited on as a guest to perform mime. There were suicide girl-style models, exotic dancers, rappers, people doing gross-out stunts for free tattoos... and me, a mime. So it turned into something of a strange and spontaneous sketch of sorts. I'm posting the link.
Patrick Ian Moore performing on the Rhino Room Show.