Silent theatre
Mime tells stories without words, props or scenery. The performer makes invisible things seem real, and the audience's imagination does the rest.
The invisible wall
The classic illusion: flat palms stop at exactly the same spot, slide along it and never pass through. Consistency is what makes the wall feel solid.
The fixed point
Pulling a rope works by locking the fist in space while the body leans and strains around it. Keeping one point still while everything else moves is the key technique of mime.
Objects from gestures
A box is drawn by hands that hold a steady distance apart; its weight shows in tense arms and bent knees. The size, shape and heaviness all come from the body.
Face instead of words
With speech forbidden, expressions are exaggerated so feelings carry to the back row. White makeup helps the face read clearly.
The audience completes it
The gestures are only clues. Viewers read them and build the wall, rope and box in their own minds, so the objects truly exist only in imagination.