Marcel Marceau

I just learned (yes, a couple days too late) that Marcel Marceau passed away at a ripe age of 84. His obituary is very interesting, full of fascinating life story. Being Jewish, his father changed the family name (last name) to protect them from Germany during WWII.

I remember seeing him at a play many years ago and seeing the documentary film about him. Even saw him making cameo appearance in Mel Brooke's film saying one french word, "Non!" His mime acting skills seem so effortless, as if it was a natural part of him. It is amazing.

Soon after that, I have met one student who did mime acting at our school. He talked about Marcel and how this gentleman started a trend. I even did a little bit of a skit of my own during a talent show. No one has to know any language to understand him. It was all action, facial expressions, humor, and heart-tugging in the style of mime. A storytelling if you will.

It was the only play that I actually understood! A musical sounded good but I couldn't possibly understand the words they were singing - no matter how slow and clearly they sing, I needed to read along the lyrics on a piece of paper just to understand. A play like "The Color Purple", "Wicked" or even "Sweeney Todd" would fly over my head unless it is done in ASL, captioned, or interpreted.

I hear the words but there are times when I couldn't understand what I'm hearing. It is like being in a room full of Japanese speaking people. You hear them all, every words, every vowels, pronounciations, expressions, tone in their speech, but you have absolutely no idea what they said. None. Or being in a room full of Spanish speaking people, you may have learned a couple of Spanish words but still, no chance of understanding them but hearing bits and pieces of simple words.

That's me. But enough about me, I posted two links on to your right side of this blog - one was Titled Amy Cohen Enfron. She talked about her experience seeing Marcel perform in New York, the other is French Documentary on Marcel. Even though this is completely in FRENCH - a language that I did not learn nor understand, there were couple of clips from his performance.

I remember the steak skit that he was to cut a steak and had trouble cutting. I remember seeing him do that and laughed!

Marcel broke the language barrier in a simple but profound way - MIME. Marcel, may your legend lives on and Rest in Peace!