He may be a relative newcomer to the local arts scene, but going on the virtuosity of internationally trained mime artist, John Jacobs’ last show at the Performing Arts Centre in Casterbridge, it won’t be long before he has a trail of fans filling the seats of local theatres.
Visceral, captivating and unlike any street ‘mime’ we often see at intersections in town, the elegance with which Jacobs translates raw feelings and real-life situations into tangible, emotionally compelling realities demands our attention, and calls for the conjuring of our childhood imaginations. The result is a phenomenal journey into what it means to be human: our commonalities, our differences, our strengths and our weaknesses, joys and sorrows and every other collective experience that defines our kind.
Perhaps the most striking of the eight separate scenes was called ‘Life’, a story at once about evolution from primordial to cultured man and the cycle of life from birth to death. Touching a nerve in every single one of the spectators, Jacobs did exactly what the advertisement said: “make you laugh and cry at the same time.”
While Jacobs currently holds the title of project facilitator at the Casterbridge Music Development Academy, he continues to hold solo performances throughout the province.
