Berkoff Use Of Action Mime

For the same scene we had also used an action mime technique. Action mime is when an actor uses a motif of mimed movements to contribute to the development of their character. Action mime is key to Berkoff’s Physical theatre because the performance style has a focus on movement and the body. I found this technique particularly helpful when I tried to embody the words as Berkoff intended and when I was developing Joey’s monologue. Berkoff believed that even if all the words from the scrip were taken from your performance the audience should still be able to determine what was happening in the performance just from the actor’s actions. To use action mime, I choreographed actions to the lines “I want it out! Out! Out!” Originally, I had chosen to begin in the freeze frame I had
started in when performing as my level one Gorilla from the animalisation technique. I was crouched low on the block we were using to create a bed in our minimalistic set, putting my weight through my knuckles - and then as I said the word “out” (the first time I slammed my fists don on the block.
The second time I said it, I slammed my foot down on the block and morphed into my level seven Joey from the animalisation technique and was squatting leaning forwards to intimidate the audience. The third time I said “out” I was standing and stamped my other foot down on the block again as I yelled the word. However, this was not showing me embodying the words so I changed it to me beginning lying down on the block, then on the first “out” I pulled myself up by my collar to a sitting position, I also mimicked pulling Claire up at the same time by a lead because it is like she is Joey’s puppet on a string. Then for the second “out” I began lying down again but half way pulled my self forward again on the “out” so that my body was at a 45-degree angle to my legs. Finally, on the third “out” I repeated the same leaning motion at first, but then pulled my self completely forward so that I was almost flat to my legs and slammed my hands down on the block. This was much more
effective. Having used this technique I have developed more as an actor because I have thought more about how I was embodying what I wanted to say which meant I was completing Berkoff’s style more successfully. Also, I had to think about character relationships when doing this because I had to think about how Claire, who is sleeping next to Joey in the scene, would react and it just furthered my realisation that Joey is the dominant one in the relationship because he treated her like a puppet.