Special Sub-Topic: Mime - The World's Worst Art Form Click Here To Play: Mime - The World's Worst Art Form

Which ancient civilisation is guilty of starting the whole sorry mess that is mime?

The Greeks. Yes, the Greeks gave us many things that are important and good. And they gave us mime. The first recorded example was a dancer called Telestes, who started miming in the middle of an otherwise enjoyable performance. History does not record what sort of objects the audience threw at him.

Which religion banned mime?

Christianity. I've never thought Christianity had a great deal to recommend it, but banning mime has to be one of the Christian church's finest moments. It seems they thought it was "indecent".

Which of these rugby clubs has a name related to a traditional character of mime?

Harlequins. Harlequin represented the evil conscience, the counterpart to Pierrot, the good conscience. Harlequin dressed in a multi-coloured diamond patterned costume, possibly so people wouldn't realise they were watching mime.

True or false: mime traditionally featured a lot of bastinadoes.

t. Surprisingly, bastinado isn't an insult - it means a beating with a cudgel. Apparently this was part of the act and not a spontaneous reaction from passers-by.

Which of the following was not a famous French mime act of the 19th century?

Idiot d'Ennui. Idiot d'Ennui was not an actual act, although it describes many.

The film "Les Enfants du Paradis" was the fictional biography of which real life mime?

Jean Gaspard Deburau. This 1945 film about a mime of the early 19th century was filmed under the supervision of the Gestapo. Decroux and Barrault both appeared in it.

What does the word "mime" mean?

Imitation of Life. From the Greek, "mimos" or the Latin "mimus".

Which of the following films features a vampire mime?

Interview with the Vampire. Stephen Rea plays a vampire who mimes, and also slaughters innocent members of the public. In combination, perhaps the most evil character ever to blight the silver screen.

The modern mime who was named a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations was Marcel who?

marceau & marceaux. As if World War III wasn't close enough already.

"Mimimimimimi" is the catchphrase of which Muppet?

Beaker. OK, it's a little off the subject, but I just couldn't take any more mime questions.