Where and How Did Mime Begin

Things really got started when the Romans invaded Greece and brought a long theatrical tradition back to Italy. Mime got absorbed into the hugely popular Commedia dell’arte genre that flourished in Europe from the 16th right up until the late 18th century.

When and where was mime created?

Mime was brought to Paris in 1811 by Jean Gaspard Batiste Deburau, who was part of a touring acrobatic family. Deburau stayed in France and developed mime into the expressive modern version that still exists today.

Why was mime created?

Mime is considered one of the earliest mediums of self-expression. Before there was spoken language, mime was used to communicate what the primitive people needed or wanted. Instead of fading into obscurity when the spoken language was developed, mime had became a form of entertainment.