Towards the performer-creator in contemporary mime, with specific reference to the physical theatre of Andrew Buckland, 1988-2000

Part one of this thesis investigates the conceptualisation of the performer-creator and its relevance in late twentieth century physical performance by examining some of the theoretical, but mainly artistic, traditions that suggest a movement towards this. Chapter one tackles the question of definition, linking mime within a wider physical theatre phenomenon. Chapter two looks at the importance of mime training for contemporary performance. This requires a focus on selected theatre practitioners who have significantly advanced the development of mime training and performance during the twentieth century. Chapter three examines the issue of silence in mime and questions a potential liberation of the word and language in contemporary performance and consequently how this affects the role of the performer, particularly in South Africa. Chapter four investigates the figure of the theatrical clown and how this late twentieth century development is playing an increasingly important role in contemporary performance. Chapter five then wraps up part one by pulling the preceding chapters together and thereby providing a working conceptualisation of the performer-creator, locating it within an overall appreciation of contemporary mime. Part two then tests the notion of the performer-creator by focussing on a case study through the investigation of Andrew Buckland to develop this idea. Andrew Buckland, and his work under the ethos of Mouthpeace from 1988-2000, provides a clear and unique example of this movement in contemporary South African performance. Trained as an actor and in classical illusion-based mime technique, as well as many dance forms such as ballet, contemporary and jazz, he has virtually single-handedly created and shaped a particular performance trend that is in line with contemporary international trends but retains a distinctive South African flavour. There is no space to attempt a definitive or exhaustive examination of his works, and nor is the intent to do so; rather, the aim is to draw from his work their essences that reveal his development as an artist: as both a creator and a performer