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The master of ageless agility and imagination
By MARTY CLEAR Someone decided to call it Marcel Marceau's "Farewell Tour." It might have been a bit presumptuous. Marceau said he still feels strong, and that he may very well tour again. Nobody who saw him perform Sunday at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater has any reason to doubt that. Now 79, Marceau has been universally accepted as the world's greatest mime for 50 years or more. It doesn't appear that he's lost a bit of his imagination or his physical genius over the decades. Alone on a black stage with no set and only a few white lights, Marceau captivated a near-capacity crowd for nearly 21/2 hours. Starting with "The Creation of the World," a piece that includes Marceau's trademark move that Michael Jackson changed only slightly and called the moonwalk, the master of the art of silence led the audience on a genteel adventure. The first half of the show included six pieces, culled from a list of "Pantomimes of Style." Some, like the opening piece and the classic "Youth, Maturity, Old Age and Death," were abstract works with a sensibility that approached modern dance. Other pieces, including "The Public Garden" and "The Birdkeeper," were story-oriented. "The Public Garden," an introduction to the colorful and recognizable inhabitants of a park, was a highlight of Act One. To watch Marceau create about a dozen characters -- from a playful boy to an elderly couple -- with seemingly simple gestures was a delicious experience. The second act consisted of four pieces featuring Bip, Marceau's familiar alter ego with the tall, flower-topped hat. Even though the audience was extremely responsive during the first act -- even offering a standing ovation at intermission -- it was plain that they came to see Bip. The response to the first piece, "Bip as a Lion Tamer," was more enthusiastic than anything that had come before. If there was a weak point in the show, it was "Bip and the Dating Service," which had some hilarious moments but went on too long. The performance ended with another Marceau classic, "The Mask Maker," which has Bip trying on masks. Through it all, Marceau showed an almost preternatural grace, balance and agility, especially in quick and delicate hand gestures. Pushing 80, Marceau has a dexterity that few other humans of any age can equal. He seems far too young to be saying farewell.
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From the wire |
