Ancient Rome

Pantomime is acting without words. The ancient Romans felt free to talk out loud during a play. Between the audience talking and the busy sounds of the marketplace, it was hard for people to hear the play. If Romans did not like the play, or could not understand what was going on, they could throw sticks and food and even rocks at the actors. Acting could be a dangerous profession. Roman actors developed the art of pantomime or acting without words, so that people would know what was going on. They also used dance, music, elaborate gestures, costumes, and sometimes sets to get across the meaning of what was happening in the play. Roman Theatre