Mówić ciałem. Komunikacja niewerbalna w wybranych spektaklach Warszawskiego Centrum Pantomimy

Abstract

This article attempts to demonstrate how pantomime theatre utilizes elements of nonverbal communication. The first part of the text describes the most important tools used for nonverbal communication and demonstrates that movement itself can convey a message. The second part explains pantomime as a performing art form and outlines its history and development in Poland. The third part of the article analyzes three performances (Agua de Lagrimas, Gogol, Marcel) by the Warsaw Pantomime Center in terms of their use of gestures, facial expressions, and proxemics. For this purpose, an interview was conducted with the founder of the ensemble, Bartłomiej Ostapczuk, whose performances served as the source of the research. The article demonstrates that pantomime actors artistically utilize elements of nonverbal communication (especially facial expressions, iconic and emblematic gestures, and spatial relationships) to convey the plot of the performance to the audience, convey emotions, and create
relationships between the characters. The Warsaw Mime Center’s performances use a universal code, easily understood by audiences.