A picture is worth a thousand words, and there are some that never leave your mind, that circle and circle like rodents searching for a way out and leaving marks behind.
A child who remembers how his grandfather played with him by stealing his nose. A child who has the moon as an accomplice, following him everywhere as he tries to catch it with his fingers. An adult who repeats these games and closes the cycles of childhood. A mother’s silence being your first great lessons in mime. Exclusivity, praise, and secrecy as accomplices of abuse. These are some of the pearls this rich and succulent journey leaves us.
When you attend a mime performance, what you generally expect least is to encounter spoken stories, yet in this case it was quite the opposite. After a brilliant and playful entrance that showcases his exquisite skills in the art of dramatic corporeal mime, Bill, our performer, verbally confirms his craft: “Yes, I am a mime.”
From there, he begins to tell us his story, from his childhood in Montana, through his weird and funny jobs, great achievements and most intimate and emotional breakdowns, to his present moment. We are confronted with a display of eloquent honesty, delivered in delightful English, where tone, pronunciation, and tempo resonated with the audience and fully captured our attention, carrying us along this emotional roller coaster. Along the way, he teaches us about gentle, calm love, love for oneself, love for one’s craft, and respect for one’s own decisions, creating a knowing smile that captivates and fills the air with optimism.
How can you go through such a heavy journey and come out of it lightly packed, with a free soul and the desire to keep dreaming and playing? These are sensations that only a great artist can convey.
Thank you, master. Seeing your work was a profound lesson in life.
For more information visit Bill's website: https://www.bill-bowers.com