Mummenschanz celebrates 33 years of silence with a China tour

In theater, silence is never golden. The shining exception is Mummenschanz, the critically acclaimed theater group that has achieved over 30 years of success by saying nothing at all.

Loosely translated as “masquerade,” the Swiss mime-quad is criss-crossing the globe for its retrospective performance 3x11, a reflection on 33 years of miming. This year’s visit is the group’s most extensive China tour and covers seven cities in three weeks.

Founded in 1972 by Swiss performers Bernie Schürch and Andres Bossard and Italian-American Floriana Frassetto, Mummenschanz tells stories of human relationships through movement, masks, simple costumes and everyday objects turned into abstract forms. Performers cover their faces and parts of the body, using props to create a slew of fantasy characters.

Though the troupe may be silent, the audience hardly ever is, according to publicist Valentina Cecchi. “There is an emotional participation (from the audience), sounds of laughter or surprise,” she says. The Mummenschanz players feed off this energy, redirecting it back to the audience.

Mummenschanz’s success came early. Some may remember a 1976 appearance by the troupe on “The Muppets” in which two members played a couple expressing their feelings for each other by tearing off bits of notepad paper from each other’s faces that represented different emotions. Later, frustrated by Mummenschanz’s silence, host Kermit almost calls off a planned interview before they start working their non-verbal magic.

In 1977, they landed on Broadway, beginning a three-year run at the Bijou Theatre. Then in 1986, The New York Times fawned over the group’s performance, which then featured headless characters trying on different craniums, losing them and then finding new ones. Critics praised the performance not only for its child-like play and creativity, but also for its philosophical ruminations on the human condition.

On this tour, Raffaella Mattioli and Pietro Montandon perform alongside the original Frassetto and Schürch in a performance guaranteed to be easy on the ears and a delight for the eyes.

Laura Fitch

In our May 14-27 issue we incorrectly printed the dates for Mummenschanz's appearance in Beijing. Please note the performance runs from May 20-22. We apologize for the confusion

Win tickets to the show**

What: 3x11 Where: People’s Liberation Army Theater When: May 20-May 22 How Much: ¥80-580 Tel: 5165-0798 ext. 33