在默劇技巧的建立已久有一段很長的時間了。在這種寂靜的藝術裡，在默劇的舞台上是可以弄出一些聲音的：可以弄一些物體的聲音，但不會是人的。他可以撕一張想像的紙時，從嘴裡發出撕紙的聲音；也可以敲一扇想像的門時，從嘴裡發出敲門聲或是用前腳掌拍地板發出敲門聲。
但是當他笑、哭或打噴嚏時，就不能發出聲音。事實上，默劇的“哭”正確方法是在眼睛下方畫上用水溶性的眼線，所以當演出時，眼淚流出來的時候，眼線就會溶在淚液裡，流過臉頰，造成一條黑色線條，觀眾就會看到非常明顯的眼淚痕跡滴下的過程。如過能控制左邊的眼淚停在七、八英吋的地方，右眼淚停在五到八英吋的地方，那便是最完美的位置了，但只能盡其所能啦！
默劇演員會試著不觸碰到舞台上的其他演員。如果他要演親吻的動作，他也會距離對方大約半英吋，就好像是圍繞女孩身旁的空氣，就是她的一部分一樣：就像是有一種魔幻的效果。我們也許會在演出中，必要時牽起某人的手，但如果是推、吹、踢…等的動作時後，就不能觸碰到對方，而觀眾的感覺就會像是實際參與演出一樣的真實。時機在這裡就會變得非常重要了，如果讓觀眾事先預料了你的動作的話，那麼你所製造的幻象就會破滅了。事實上，這應該是適用在所有的劇場演出上。
CONVENTIONS
There are several long-time conventions in the mime technique. In this silent art, there are some sounds that the mime may make on the stage: he may make the sounds of objects, never of people. He may tear an imaginary piece of paper, and make a tearing sound with his mouth; he may knock on an imaginary door and make a knocking sound with his mouth or by stamping his foot on the floor. But when he laughs or cries or sneezes, he does it silently. Actually, the proper way for a mime to cry, is for him to be wearing water-soluable eye-liner under his eyes, and when the tears roll down his cheeks, they dissolve the make-up, which streaks down his face, showing the tears clearly to the spectators. If the tear stops exactly seven-eighths of an inch below the left eye, and five eighths of an inch below the right eye, that would be perfect. But just do your best. A mime tries not to touch the other actors on the stage with him. If he must kiss a girl, he does it from half an inch away, and it is as if the air around the girl is a part of her: this gives a kind of magical effect. We may take someone’s hand if necessary, but a push, or a blow, or a kick are accomplished without actually touching, and the recipient behaves as if he were actually struck. Timing is important here, since any anticipation of the blow will destroy the illusion. Actually, this should be applicable to all theatre; we are, after all, only representing events, not living or behaving them, and actors should never be so out of control as to actually hit another actor. We may want the illusion of reality on the stage, but we certainly don’t want reality itself. A mime should never repeat a gesture, unless he does it in some other way. He should never point twice or beckon twice. He should do it one time, big and clear: To repeat it would only be redundant. If he must beckon more than once, he might first use one finger, then perhaps his hand, and then his thumb or his whole arm. This same principle holds true for spoken dialogue in a play; if the words are repeated, they must be said differently each time, or they are redundant. Same principle for words in a song.
Julien's Art Works 