Magic Of Movement Comes Alive For All Ages At The Booth Library

By Larissa Lytwyn

When Shari Lynn heard about an upcoming visit by acclaimed mime Robert Rivest to the C.H. Booth Library, she immediately knew it was a date she couldn’t miss.

“I’m a storyteller [by trade],” she said.

She explained how a mime’s art of using movement and expression to communicate a story is a key component of good storytelling.

“I remember seeing a mime several years ago and being impressed,” Ms Lynn said. “I couldn’t wait to come [to this event].”

Ms Lynn and her 7-year-old son Isaac were among approximately 300 attendees of Mr Rivest’s “Literacy Alive!” program on June 15.

“Literacy Alive!” celebrates the joy of reading by bringing the elements of a story, including characterization, scene and structure, together through a series of fast-paced vignettes.

First, Mr Rivest introduced basic mime movements, such as creating the illusion of walls through positioning his hands flat against an invisible “surface.” Mr Rivest occasionally used the help of props including a hat and later an umbrella to illustrate various scenes.

“We don’t always realize how creative we can be using our own bodies,” Mr Rivest said following a routine in which his hat becomes stuck in a sticky web.

He then segued into explaining one of the crucial components of a story: description, especially description of emotion.

Mr Rivest demonstrated how feelings as disparate as happiness, anger, sadness, and fear could merge virtually seamlessly through the twitch of a brow or a curl of the lips.

Next, he said, “Think about how authors depict their characters through the way they move and gesticulate, that is, using gestures.”

Mr Rivest went on to portray a bank robbery, playing the parts of the robber, tellers, and customers.

His parade of characters included a fussy young mother, cantankerous old man, and a streetwise teenager.

Mr Rivest’s parodies, ranging from the deep frown of the old man to the slang-rich movements of the teenaged boy, had the audience — from parents to toddlers — roaring with laughter.

As the evening progressed, audience members had the opportunity to participate in various scenarios, including a humorous bit about falling into a fish tank to a story illustrating the frustration of trying to put up wallpaper.

After soliciting several eagerly volunteering children to take part in the scenes, he invited “any audience member who hasn’t come up yet but would like to” to come up and try their hand — legs, arms, heads, and faces — at mime.

“I was so absorbed in his performance, that at times I forgot he was performing!” laughed Prabia Makayee after the show. Ms Makayee had brought her children and several of their friends to see Mr Rivest.

“We all just loved it,” she said.

Joe and Judy Sheridan brought their young son, Justin, to the show. All enjoyed it so much that they quickly joined the throng of audience members thanking Mr Rivest long after his show.

“It was just great!” said Mr Sheridan. “Really different — we all loved it!”

Mrs Sheridan said she liked Mr Rivest’s last vignette, involving his struggle with an umbrella during a windy storm, the best, while Justin said he enjoyed the falling-into-the-fish tank story most.

After the show, Mr Rivest discussed how he began his 21-year career in mime.

“I really loved dancing as a teen,” the Providence, R.I.-based, married father of twin 4-year-old daughters said. “Then, I went into theater and someone told me I should try mime — that it would help me with acting.”

Mr Rivest fell in love with the art form, studying under renowned mime Marcel Marceau. Mr Rivest has performed all over the United States and Europe; his programs range from reading-friendly “Literacy Alive!” to subjects including ones centered in science, health, and well-being.

Young Adult Librarian Margaret Brown said she had seen Mr Rivest perform at a library performance showcase several months ago and was “blown away.”

She especially liked the relevancy of “Literacy Alive!” to reading.

Mr Rivest counts Make Way for Ducklings and the timeless prose of Dr Seuss among his literary favorites.

He discussed how mime could be a uniting force through the sheer power of storytelling. “It’s also interesting to see how quickly the audience picks up the [mime] movements,” he said. “It’s really subconscious — and infectious!”

As Ms Lynn and Isaac left, Isaac couldn’t resist trying out his own mime movements. “I really loved the show,” he said. “It makes me want to do it, too!”

Mr Rivest’s C.H. Booth Library performance was sponsored through a grant through the Praxair Corporation. For more information on Mr Rivest, visit rivestmime.com.