'Mime makes people laugh and dream'

Wolfe Bowart in the physical theater "The Man the Sea Saw"
/ Courtesy of Ludi Company

By Park Jin-hai

Wolfe Bowart, 52, a renowned mime, is known for his passion for the absurd.

Having performed in circuses as early as his teens, he learned his "physical voice" speaks louder than words. "Its visual nature speaks to all ages ― from kids to great-grandparents ― and its absence of language lets us tour many different cultures," he said.

"I've practiced other types of theater and storytelling in my life. Early on, I studied and performed Shakespeare and Brecht. Later, I wrote for television in Hollywood, but I kept coming back to this non-verbal form of storytelling."

Against the background of the ocean, during his show "The Man the Sea Saw," the modern-day clown tells a comedic story about a man who accidentally sets himself adrift on an iceberg with the language of humor.

"There are several themes in ‘The Man the Sea Saw.' We explore the ideas of loss and finding one's way, of selfishness and stupidity and of finding hope and going home. And the importance of family is an integral part of the story. The man meets animals at sea that remind him of his family."

He encounters animals and the audience has fun discovering which animal represents which members of the man's family.

The mixture of acrobatics, magic, film and stage illusions conjure up a popup book-like surreal world for not just children, but for people of all ages.

The founder of SpoonTree Production, Bowart has toured some 15 countries presenting his shows. This is his second show for Korean audiences following last year's successful show, "LaLaLuna."

He said that mime has come to incorporate so much more than the old cliche of the white-faced man in a striped top, and has evolved into a new genre called "physical performance."

"This label includes mime and circus skills, magic and puppetry, as well as film interaction and prop manipulation. These productions with their multi-disciplinary nature give me the freedom to use these skills as the ‘voice' to tell the story," he says.

"At one point, I walk into a film and interact with a character on the screen. At another point, I might juggle snowballs, and chat with a melting snowman, or attach a giant sail to a rocking iceberg and navigate through a thunderous storm that takes over the auditorium. And watch out for a life-size whale," he said

"In ‘The Man the Sea Saw,' the character has his share of misfortunes and calamities but in spite of all that life has to offer, he continues on with a smile on his face. I think this is a good message for today."

The man, whose life motto is "Don't worry, be happy," says that he never takes for granted that he is an artist passionately doing what he loves.

"I am very fortunate to be able to have a job that makes people laugh, wonder and dream," he said.

"The Man the Sea Saw" will have its final local staging at the Incheon Culture and Arts Center on July 26 and 27.

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