Centenary of the Birth of 'Le Mime Marceau'

Born in Strasbourg in 1923, Marcel Marceau, known as “Le mime Marceau”, the stage name of Marcel Mangel, left the city in 1939 due to the threat posed by the advancing German troops. With his family, of Jewish and Polish origin, he sought refuge in the Dordogne and then in Limoges, where he enrolled in the School of Decorative Arts. While studying, he gave drama lessons to children and helped some to flee the Occupation. A timeless artist, Marcel Marceau won acclaim through mime, thanks to his character Bip, created in 1947. It was a character that he took out onto the world stage, even inspiring Michael Jackson’s “moonwalk” with his “Walking against the wind” sketch.