MIME DEMONSTRATION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 March 1939, Page 10

MIME DEMONSTRATION

LECTURE BY MISS COLEMAN. An educational and fascinating lecture and demonstration on mime was presented in the Y.M.C. Hall last evening by Miss Betty Coleman, L.T.C.L. In her lecture Miss Coleman briefly traced the growth of mime from the primitive ages, showing the influence of the Chinese, Japanese, and Indian arts. Mime today, said Miss Coleman, is not new. It is the result of many years of development, and is only characteristic of the age. Mime is not an art on its own, but from mime we get the best of dancing, musical appreciation, and the dramatic arts. From an educational point of view mime is the key to much that has baffled experts in the past. The child’s natural imagination is encouraged and developed, and music is made a living force. Later Miss Coleman demonstrated with her pupils the elementary technique of this fascinating art. Miss Coleman herself demonstrated the advanced emotional and adult work and finally two charming mime plays were presented. It was a most unusual demonstration, but was obviously greatly appreciated by the large audience and Miss Coleman was congratulated on her enterprise in introducing this novel and delightful study to Masterton.