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(Magazine "History" No. 4, 1996)
Excerpt from the interview with Marcel Marceau in the journal "History" No. 4, 1996.
History Magazine: Can you tell the first time he met Michael Jackson?
Marcel Marceau: I heard that Michael Jackson was a fan when he arrived in France in 1988 during the Bad tour. He said he wanted to meet two people while he was here: Marlene Dietrich and Marcel Marceau. Someone asked: "Why Marcel Marceau? (This question was asked by an amateur journalist probably not really been associated.) Michael Jackson replied that whenever I would act to the United States, went to my shows, and I was puzzled by the question as absurd. journalist did not know what to say next ... Michael Jackson then came to see me perform in London, while he was there on tour. was then that I came to know him first. were together in the stage in the theater ... I said, in particular, he was impressed by my imitation of walking against the wind. subsequently used this effect in his "moonwalk." Our first meeting together was wonderful. He said: "Marcel, his art is fantastic. "
He appreciates poetry in slow motion mime, mimic its slow movement, silence ... I discovered that he had come to see most of the shows I've done in the United States when he was little. He came to see me act in secret, I had no idea who was in the audience. He knows my work from the beginning of my career, and I get between those who have inspired him as Fred Astaire and others, but is, however, a very special person, not an imitator. I think he knows how to choose the best artist, whatever their field.
HM: What image of Michael Jackson had met him before?
MM:. connecting it to sing and write songs, the rhythm of pop music. I had noticed that a dancer was incredibly gifted with extraordinary agility in the way he moved.
HM: How it turned out, after this first meeting?
MM: Michael Jackson invited me to his house in 1992, while on a tour of the United States. We talk a lot together. He said he had been impressed by my performances, I wear white mask, facial expressions do. Just as a big fan of Chaplin, loves the art of mime. The first thing he asked me was if I had my video recorded material. "Of course." I said "Oh great," he said. He said it was an important thing to do for history.
HM: What were the circumstances in which Michael Jackson was offered to participate in the American channel HBO concert?
MM: I was on tour in Argentina in 1994, when I received a call from Michael Jackson. He said he had written a song called "Childhood". Cantármela Started by telephone. "I would love if you could take this song on stage on stage," he said, "and I'd do it with you. The slow movement of his character ...... would be wonderful." I told myself that this was his way of speaking, that nothing had really defined. When you are on the phone, a verbal agreement is far from a contract, after all. So I said: "Michael, I'll give you my number in Paris. Call me if you like, and if we do it together, we'll do it with a script." Not long after this conversation, I returned to France and called me at home. He began to sing the song over the phone, I asked: "How do you see this we will do together? Send me a script", to which he replied "No". I want you to do the choreography we will do together. I'll have to prepare a contract. "I was on tour in Bangkok when the U.S. agent Michael Jackson got in touch with me. Decided that collaboration with HBO, the show would be for Christmas 1995. Everything was ready.'s When I went to the United States, where I was greeted by Michael Jackson in great shape. was happy to have me, and started working immediately. gave me "carte blanche" ... Michael Jackson wanted something concrete. mimicking is cryptic, you can not imitate gestures a song, there must be some kind of operetta, and "Childhood" is a great song lyric flight. To me, this song has something that reminds me of some of the verses of the greatest French poets of the last century, as Rimbaud and Baudelaire, each of which are written with great passion about his lost childhood, his unhappy childhood, children would never be able to relive ... Words, lines that come straight from the heart. This particular version of "Childhood" Michael as I said, had "carte blanche", was free to do what he wanted. Yet at the same time, I asked Michael if he liked what he was doing with his song, so you could say that we have worked together therein.
HM: Did you prepare the number before traveling to New York?
MM: No, I did everything there. Direct contact with Michael Jackson was essential.
HM: Can you tell us something about his collaboration with Michael and the results of its interpretation of "Childhood?
MM: When the song begins, Michael is on one side of the garden (left when viewed from the perspective of the public) and I'm on the side of the courtyard (right). He starts singing, and then the camera turns to me ... When he says he is looking for his childhood ... images emerge with great force, the mime is a condensed form of concepts and images ...
HM: Personally, what do you think of the song "Childhood"? Are you inspired?
MM: It's a very nice song. The melody, rhythmic synchronization are exceptionally poignant. There are also a lot of sadness in "Childhood", is a message straight from the heart, in a way he is shouting it to everyone. Is it true that Michael Jackson started very young, never really had a childhood. But what is certainly experienced pitied: he was happy to act and succeed. But its success must be seen in light of claims that came to him by his popularity. It is constantly under pressure. It is practically a slavery sometimes.
HM: Is the Michael Jackson he knew in 1988 was the same person he saw back in 1995?
MM: Yes, it was the same. First, because at that age is not changed, secondly, because I had the same kindness and respect for which is famous. Sometimes one has the impression that it is a completely from another planet. It is so agile, so exceptional. I learned that actually does not like to be touched. But I can tell you at the end of our number of "Childhood", a duet, he came to me singing "Have you seen my childhood?", And with a wave of his hand showed the way. We ended the piece together, so we're about the same time as one body in motion together. It was very, very pure. Poetic. To me, Michael Jackson is a true poet, a great poet of the song. It is also an extraordinary dancer and a showman with a great respect for the theater, music and film. One can feel the need, the need for that comes from within. It's a pure and genuine. But it is also true that everyone wants to get their attention, it is incredibly stressful, and when you are too stressed, you may be a victim of all sorts of unfortunate things. It is my deep and sincere belief that Michael Jackson is a good person, a nice guy with an incredible burden, a responsibility that carries on his shoulders. They say it's becoming more and more white, but from my point of view, this is not a problem. I think he has the right to create any mythical character theatrical decision. Not only in the scene but also on television. In any case, he does not deny being black. All kinds of absurd rumors are created around Michael. I think most of them have been created by malicious people, just to make money behind it. I know this is very difficult for him, and I understand why.
HM: How did the rehearsals for the concert?
MM: Okay, actually. I was there for all of them: there were about 20 dancers movements were very strong. Michael Jackson was surrounded by a number of dancers, black dancers, who could be called "street dancers" in substance. Looking at these dance numbers caused a real impression on me, were the expression of anxiety through violence and quantification of art. Michael decided to weave poetry "Childhood" in these dances. From the beginning, he wanted to see, in this song, the desire of his youth. There is in particular a passage in which he speaks of pirates, kings and conquests. To make the transformation of a pirate in a king on stage, only mime. There are several components of this attitude, mime, after all, is the art of metamorphosis. It is hard to do for a dancer. Would make a mime through the attitude, that would be a pirate to be king. Michael Jackson has seen my work, including Coeur Mangeur ("The Heart Eater") knows that I can express the major themes and concepts. We worked together, and together we made more progress, he felt happier. When the day came that we would receive the press in the "Beacon Theatre", there were at least a dozen TV channels and more than 300 journalists. Michael said: "Let me introduce you to my friend Marcel Marceau, the world's largest mime ..." The New York Times later wrote that Michael Jackson and Marcel Marceau was an event together logically. The journalist explained, fairly evenly, that Michael Jackson paid tribute to Charlie Chaplin's song "Smile", and that the two artists were for him an important lyrical inspiration.
HM: Where were you when Michael had his discomfort?
MM: I was in the "Beacon Theatre", was watching the trials and dances, which were wonderful. Michael Jackson was on stage with about 15 dancers. At one point I turned away to get something to drink and then, suddenly, there was a great silence. He stopped everything. Just before the music was loud, the lights flash, and then, in a moment there was total silence, it was as if the world had come to an end. I went back, and I could see Michael Jackson, he had collapsed, lost consciousness, and was on the floor. We were all petrified. There were people around him, he did not move at all. Paramedics arrived, and when I saw the stage I was very scared. They took all the theater and later learned it was okay. I sent a letter to the hospital, and sent me a message through his staff, who had cheered my letter and I could not wait to see me again. What the press said, for once, it was true: I was absolutely exhausted. This is not surprising, considering all the effort you put in singing, dancing and acting at the same time, so intensely, and the anxiety of a new piece, treading a new field. All artists have stage fright in this way. Michael Jackson is very happy with the work we did together on "Childhood", but I have the impression, however, that he was uncomfortable with the rest. Of course, our numbers together does not require the same physical exertion of dancing on stage with 15 professional dancers, while being responsible for the choreography. Personally, I was sure that his program would be a good compromise. I was absolutely sure.
HM: Have you noticed any signs of fatigue from Michael? You could see in his face?
MM: No, not at all, if he had worked with him all day, I would have noticed something. But when I got to deal with it, was lovely, as always: there was no sign that he was on the verge of a crisis. There was tension, of course, that you could feel, but nothing more. And he was dehydrated. Not a problem in the heart, in my opinion, because to dance like dancing, and having the strength must be in excellent health, and it certainly is.
HM: In general, it seemed that Michael was happy?
MM: I think when he's working, yes, he's happy. I could not do what he does, if not satisfied with your art. Still the child that all artists are, actually. All artists who create are just children who have grown up in the course of their lives, while maintaining this purity, this attachment to his childhood.
HM: Do you think the success of Michael Jackson will continue for a long time to come?
MM: Yes, I think he and his work will continue to grow, because Michael Jackson is a very deep person. We are fortunate to have him among the greats of our time. And will continue to be a large, not only for pop music, but also for the many issues resulting in his art. Through her dancing, for example, evokes the violence of this life, the anguish that characterizes our age. It is the eternal Son in him, and the poet, the deep side of him. Michael Jackson is deep, to understand this, we must look at the clip he made for his "Earth Song". I judge an extraordinary masterpiece of a great artist.
HM: Marcel Marceau, in this interview we spoke almost exclusively of Michael Jackson, and was kind enough to answer all our questions with a wonderful availability, which we enjoyed immensely. What explains the modesty of an artist of his fame?
MM: One day in 1967, I met Charlie Chaplin. I was with a friend, we were in an airport, and Chaplin was sitting not far from me. He was with his sons, who were children then. My friend told me: "You know, Charlie Chaplin is sitting there and watching you." I did not want to get up and go over there and talk to him, bother him. Sure, I was Marcel Marceau, already famous in the U.S. for over ten years, but I felt quite shy, humble, next to an artist like Chaplin. Almost scared me go talk to him, but he was looking straight at me. I had to go, and there was the meeting. He said to his sons: "Children, come to know Marcel Marceau." A little later, one of the people who were with him came to tell him that his plane was about to leave. Then I realized I could never see him again and I said to myself: "What I can say How I can thank a man like Chaplin?" When we parted, I took her hand and kissed her, tried to push her away, but I held and kissed. He had tears in his eyes, and finally left. I asked my friend because Chaplin had tears in my eyes when I kissed his hand, and he said, "Because you're Marceau" What I meant is that, at the time, Chaplin was 78 years old, had no popularity ever had when it was at its peak, the popularity later recovered. In this context, Marcel Marceau approached him and kissed his hand, I was the greatest mime of time, people were talking about me, I was recognized by the great silent films of the genre, Charlie Chaplin. This is what he played, and of course I have a great appreciation for Chaplin. So much for Michael Jackson, for showing enormous talent. And Michael Jackson has this same estimate for me. Each of us respects the other. Respect is humility. Because you're never quite sure of himself, even if you know you are in the forefront of their art form.
Excerpt from the interview with Marcel Marceau in the journal "History" No. 4, 1996.
History Magazine: Can you tell the first time he met Michael Jackson?
Marcel Marceau: I heard that Michael Jackson was a fan when he arrived in France in 1988 during the Bad tour. He said he wanted to meet two people while he was here: Marlene Dietrich and Marcel Marceau. Someone asked: "Why Marcel Marceau? (This question was asked by an amateur journalist probably not really been associated.) Michael Jackson replied that whenever I would act to the United States, went to my shows, and I was puzzled by the question as absurd. journalist did not know what to say next ... Michael Jackson then came to see me perform in London, while he was there on tour. was then that I came to know him first. were together in the stage in the theater ... I said, in particular, he was impressed by my imitation of walking against the wind. subsequently used this effect in his "moonwalk." Our first meeting together was wonderful. He said: "Marcel, his art is fantastic. "
He appreciates poetry in slow motion mime, mimic its slow movement, silence ... I discovered that he had come to see most of the shows I've done in the United States when he was little. He came to see me act in secret, I had no idea who was in the audience. He knows my work from the beginning of my career, and I get between those who have inspired him as Fred Astaire and others, but is, however, a very special person, not an imitator. I think he knows how to choose the best artist, whatever their field.
HM: What image of Michael Jackson had met him before?
MM:. connecting it to sing and write songs, the rhythm of pop music. I had noticed that a dancer was incredibly gifted with extraordinary agility in the way he moved.
HM: How it turned out, after this first meeting?
MM: Michael Jackson invited me to his house in 1992, while on a tour of the United States. We talk a lot together. He said he had been impressed by my performances, I wear white mask, facial expressions do. Just as a big fan of Chaplin, loves the art of mime. The first thing he asked me was if I had my video recorded material. "Of course." I said "Oh great," he said. He said it was an important thing to do for history.
HM: What were the circumstances in which Michael Jackson was offered to participate in the American channel HBO concert?
MM: I was on tour in Argentina in 1994, when I received a call from Michael Jackson. He said he had written a song called "Childhood". Cantármela Started by telephone. "I would love if you could take this song on stage on stage," he said, "and I'd do it with you. The slow movement of his character ...... would be wonderful." I told myself that this was his way of speaking, that nothing had really defined. When you are on the phone, a verbal agreement is far from a contract, after all. So I said: "Michael, I'll give you my number in Paris. Call me if you like, and if we do it together, we'll do it with a script." Not long after this conversation, I returned to France and called me at home. He began to sing the song over the phone, I asked: "How do you see this we will do together? Send me a script", to which he replied "No". I want you to do the choreography we will do together. I'll have to prepare a contract. "I was on tour in Bangkok when the U.S. agent Michael Jackson got in touch with me. Decided that collaboration with HBO, the show would be for Christmas 1995. Everything was ready.'s When I went to the United States, where I was greeted by Michael Jackson in great shape. was happy to have me, and started working immediately. gave me "carte blanche" ... Michael Jackson wanted something concrete. mimicking is cryptic, you can not imitate gestures a song, there must be some kind of operetta, and "Childhood" is a great song lyric flight. To me, this song has something that reminds me of some of the verses of the greatest French poets of the last century, as Rimbaud and Baudelaire, each of which are written with great passion about his lost childhood, his unhappy childhood, children would never be able to relive ... Words, lines that come straight from the heart. This particular version of "Childhood" Michael as I said, had "carte blanche", was free to do what he wanted. Yet at the same time, I asked Michael if he liked what he was doing with his song, so you could say that we have worked together therein.
HM: Did you prepare the number before traveling to New York?
MM: No, I did everything there. Direct contact with Michael Jackson was essential.
HM: Can you tell us something about his collaboration with Michael and the results of its interpretation of "Childhood?
MM: When the song begins, Michael is on one side of the garden (left when viewed from the perspective of the public) and I'm on the side of the courtyard (right). He starts singing, and then the camera turns to me ... When he says he is looking for his childhood ... images emerge with great force, the mime is a condensed form of concepts and images ...
HM: Personally, what do you think of the song "Childhood"? Are you inspired?
MM: It's a very nice song. The melody, rhythmic synchronization are exceptionally poignant. There are also a lot of sadness in "Childhood", is a message straight from the heart, in a way he is shouting it to everyone. Is it true that Michael Jackson started very young, never really had a childhood. But what is certainly experienced pitied: he was happy to act and succeed. But its success must be seen in light of claims that came to him by his popularity. It is constantly under pressure. It is practically a slavery sometimes.
HM: Is the Michael Jackson he knew in 1988 was the same person he saw back in 1995?
MM: Yes, it was the same. First, because at that age is not changed, secondly, because I had the same kindness and respect for which is famous. Sometimes one has the impression that it is a completely from another planet. It is so agile, so exceptional. I learned that actually does not like to be touched. But I can tell you at the end of our number of "Childhood", a duet, he came to me singing "Have you seen my childhood?", And with a wave of his hand showed the way. We ended the piece together, so we're about the same time as one body in motion together. It was very, very pure. Poetic. To me, Michael Jackson is a true poet, a great poet of the song. It is also an extraordinary dancer and a showman with a great respect for the theater, music and film. One can feel the need, the need for that comes from within. It's a pure and genuine. But it is also true that everyone wants to get their attention, it is incredibly stressful, and when you are too stressed, you may be a victim of all sorts of unfortunate things. It is my deep and sincere belief that Michael Jackson is a good person, a nice guy with an incredible burden, a responsibility that carries on his shoulders. They say it's becoming more and more white, but from my point of view, this is not a problem. I think he has the right to create any mythical character theatrical decision. Not only in the scene but also on television. In any case, he does not deny being black. All kinds of absurd rumors are created around Michael. I think most of them have been created by malicious people, just to make money behind it. I know this is very difficult for him, and I understand why.
HM: How did the rehearsals for the concert?
MM: Okay, actually. I was there for all of them: there were about 20 dancers movements were very strong. Michael Jackson was surrounded by a number of dancers, black dancers, who could be called "street dancers" in substance. Looking at these dance numbers caused a real impression on me, were the expression of anxiety through violence and quantification of art. Michael decided to weave poetry "Childhood" in these dances. From the beginning, he wanted to see, in this song, the desire of his youth. There is in particular a passage in which he speaks of pirates, kings and conquests. To make the transformation of a pirate in a king on stage, only mime. There are several components of this attitude, mime, after all, is the art of metamorphosis. It is hard to do for a dancer. Would make a mime through the attitude, that would be a pirate to be king. Michael Jackson has seen my work, including Coeur Mangeur ("The Heart Eater") knows that I can express the major themes and concepts. We worked together, and together we made more progress, he felt happier. When the day came that we would receive the press in the "Beacon Theatre", there were at least a dozen TV channels and more than 300 journalists. Michael said: "Let me introduce you to my friend Marcel Marceau, the world's largest mime ..." The New York Times later wrote that Michael Jackson and Marcel Marceau was an event together logically. The journalist explained, fairly evenly, that Michael Jackson paid tribute to Charlie Chaplin's song "Smile", and that the two artists were for him an important lyrical inspiration.
HM: Where were you when Michael had his discomfort?
MM: I was in the "Beacon Theatre", was watching the trials and dances, which were wonderful. Michael Jackson was on stage with about 15 dancers. At one point I turned away to get something to drink and then, suddenly, there was a great silence. He stopped everything. Just before the music was loud, the lights flash, and then, in a moment there was total silence, it was as if the world had come to an end. I went back, and I could see Michael Jackson, he had collapsed, lost consciousness, and was on the floor. We were all petrified. There were people around him, he did not move at all. Paramedics arrived, and when I saw the stage I was very scared. They took all the theater and later learned it was okay. I sent a letter to the hospital, and sent me a message through his staff, who had cheered my letter and I could not wait to see me again. What the press said, for once, it was true: I was absolutely exhausted. This is not surprising, considering all the effort you put in singing, dancing and acting at the same time, so intensely, and the anxiety of a new piece, treading a new field. All artists have stage fright in this way. Michael Jackson is very happy with the work we did together on "Childhood", but I have the impression, however, that he was uncomfortable with the rest. Of course, our numbers together does not require the same physical exertion of dancing on stage with 15 professional dancers, while being responsible for the choreography. Personally, I was sure that his program would be a good compromise. I was absolutely sure.
HM: Have you noticed any signs of fatigue from Michael? You could see in his face?
MM: No, not at all, if he had worked with him all day, I would have noticed something. But when I got to deal with it, was lovely, as always: there was no sign that he was on the verge of a crisis. There was tension, of course, that you could feel, but nothing more. And he was dehydrated. Not a problem in the heart, in my opinion, because to dance like dancing, and having the strength must be in excellent health, and it certainly is.
HM: In general, it seemed that Michael was happy?
MM: I think when he's working, yes, he's happy. I could not do what he does, if not satisfied with your art. Still the child that all artists are, actually. All artists who create are just children who have grown up in the course of their lives, while maintaining this purity, this attachment to his childhood.
HM: Do you think the success of Michael Jackson will continue for a long time to come?
MM: Yes, I think he and his work will continue to grow, because Michael Jackson is a very deep person. We are fortunate to have him among the greats of our time. And will continue to be a large, not only for pop music, but also for the many issues resulting in his art. Through her dancing, for example, evokes the violence of this life, the anguish that characterizes our age. It is the eternal Son in him, and the poet, the deep side of him. Michael Jackson is deep, to understand this, we must look at the clip he made for his "Earth Song". I judge an extraordinary masterpiece of a great artist.
HM: Marcel Marceau, in this interview we spoke almost exclusively of Michael Jackson, and was kind enough to answer all our questions with a wonderful availability, which we enjoyed immensely. What explains the modesty of an artist of his fame?
MM: One day in 1967, I met Charlie Chaplin. I was with a friend, we were in an airport, and Chaplin was sitting not far from me. He was with his sons, who were children then. My friend told me: "You know, Charlie Chaplin is sitting there and watching you." I did not want to get up and go over there and talk to him, bother him. Sure, I was Marcel Marceau, already famous in the U.S. for over ten years, but I felt quite shy, humble, next to an artist like Chaplin. Almost scared me go talk to him, but he was looking straight at me. I had to go, and there was the meeting. He said to his sons: "Children, come to know Marcel Marceau." A little later, one of the people who were with him came to tell him that his plane was about to leave. Then I realized I could never see him again and I said to myself: "What I can say How I can thank a man like Chaplin?" When we parted, I took her hand and kissed her, tried to push her away, but I held and kissed. He had tears in his eyes, and finally left. I asked my friend because Chaplin had tears in my eyes when I kissed his hand, and he said, "Because you're Marceau" What I meant is that, at the time, Chaplin was 78 years old, had no popularity ever had when it was at its peak, the popularity later recovered. In this context, Marcel Marceau approached him and kissed his hand, I was the greatest mime of time, people were talking about me, I was recognized by the great silent films of the genre, Charlie Chaplin. This is what he played, and of course I have a great appreciation for Chaplin. So much for Michael Jackson, for showing enormous talent. And Michael Jackson has this same estimate for me. Each of us respects the other. Respect is humility. Because you're never quite sure of himself, even if you know you are in the forefront of their art form.
