The legend of mime, the master of silence, died Saturday, September 22, 2007. Marcel Marceau brought the art of mime to the public, and made it into a popular theatre form. Being a "spiritual" man, he had high views of his art and maintained those views as a standard for those he taught. Marceau believed that humanity needed and even hungered for silence. As he noted "It’s good to shut up sometimes." Marceau sculpted his silence to show forth the comedy in everyday life, the struggle of the human heart, and the drama of creation.
Was Marceau a Christian man? Well, he appreciated all faiths, though he especially loved the Bible. He created two particularly Christian-like mime pieces, one being the Biblical telling of the Creation of the world, the other a piece about a two hands, one good, one evil. When teaching his piece the hands, he speaks of the movements of the good hand in Christ's own words: "Let the little children come to me" and "Our Father, who art in Heaven." When visiting Mimeistry in 2002, Todd & Marilyn Farley and Theo were able to share their faith with him in extraordinary ways. Towards the close of the workshop, Todd and Marilyn performed for Marceau a piece called Still Her Little Child, which portrays the life of Jesus through the Mary's perspective. Marceau stood up and commented on its beauty, and then proclaimed loudly(paraphrasing): "This shows clearly that Jesus was a man; he knew the pain and struggle of humanity." Our students gladly smiled. "See? Jesus was not God." Everyone tilted their heads in confusion. Afterwards, Marilyn was able to share with Maestro Marceau that Jesus was in fact both God and man, and Marceau listened very intently. Later, Maestro Marceau shared with Todd & Marilyn his struggle with his art. He wondered if art really did make any difference. Sadly, Marceau was often not acknowledged for his great contributions to the art world, especially when it came to Paris. The day of his death, a French newspaper proclaimed Jesus' own words at Marceau's passing: "A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country,..." (Mark 6:4)However Todd & Marilyn were able to share with Marceau their faith in his situation. Marilyn told Marceau that God can use a story or a drama to change even the heart of kings, just like in the parable Nathan told to David. (2 Sam. 12:1-14)
Towards the end of his career, Marceau consistently performed one number in every show: The Creation of the World, of which he said: "I’m not religious in life, but when I perform The Creation of the World and when my soul is touched by the confrontation of “Good and Evil”, then God enters in me." As Paris forced his resignation in 2005, he withdrew from public life. Even a few days before his passing, our mime team was praying for him, and the Farley's began thinking of him. We hope that he came to know the Jesus he admired.
Marceau's funeral, held in Paris at the Cemetery Pere Lachaise, the ceremony began with the music of The Creation of the World, Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21. A rabbi shared of Marceau's life, being a Jew who rescued children during the holocaust. He acknowledged Marceau as an international man, who sought to bring the beauty of the universal art of mime to the masses. The rabbi noted that Marceau not only gave to people with his heart and soul, but also his body, and especially his face, giving to the people love. There were several Psalms read, and a celloist played while while the rain drizzled and the wind blew autumn leaves across the cemetery. As they put his body into the earth, photographers from around the world huddled by to capture the delicate moment. As they drifted away, those touched by his art and his person remained to say goodbye to the kind hearted man they loved. One by one each dropped roses into the earth for a final farewell. Theo and Jolie both stood side by side and were the last to drop a flower into his grave before they sealed it shut. As the crowds dwindled, artists and family appeared through the crowd, and smiles and tears for remembering the maestro were exchanged through the rain.
Later Marilyn, Theo & Jolie were invited to the home of a member of Marceau's company. Most of those there were members of Marceau's company. Some were Christian artists, all touched by Marceau's art and ministering through their training. One young woman, Angelique, who recently became a Christian, was good friends with the Maestro. She was so encouraged to meet other Christians who want to use the art for God' glory. We were also able to meet again with Marceau's close assistant, Gyongi, who was present at the 2002 Mimeistry workshop which hosted Marceau. Gyongi thanked us for coming, and she told us how workshop still held a very special place in her heart.
For artists, Marceau left a legacy of truth and beauty, silence and simplicity. His art was infused with provocative thought, spiritual truth, and a moral conscience. Marcel Marceau showed a life's work of integrity, filled with a passion for seeking truth and stillness in his own heart. Of his own art he said: "I have designed my style pantomimes as white ink drawings on black backgrounds, so that man’s destiny appears as a thread lost in an endless labyrinth… I have tried to shed some gleams of light on the shadow of man startled by his anguish." He will ever be an inspiration, and hold a place of honor in our memory. Thank you, Maestro Marceau, for all that you left behind. May God grant us the strength to carry on the legacy with dignity, truth and beauty.
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