It’s always a little odd whenever no commentary is utilized in wrestling. Radio silence is generally frowned upon, and audio levels are almost always constant. Which is why the return of HHH and Undertaker this Monday was not only a stark reflection of the norm, but also a great use of pantomime and audience memory to tell a story.
Pantomime, for those unaware, is
referring to a theatrical performer of mime, is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, Japan, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the Christmas and New Year season.
English pantomime is different than most others, which is the type generally used by professional wrestling. Here’s a broad definition:
In Restoration England, a pantomime was considered a low form of opera, rather like the Commedia dell’arte but without Harlequin (rather like the French Vaudeville)…. These pantomimes gradually became more topical and comic, often involving as many special theatrical effects as possible.
The scene began with a countdown. The audience audibly played its part. Then, the reveal. Dramatic lights, fog, music. These are all very common pieces of the scene. And there was almost nothing new about the entrance of the Undertaker. We’ve all seen it a thousand times. But if you pay attention, you’ll notice there were three entrances. I’m not sure why, but the Undertaker is revealed to us in video, then in a false entrance, then the real one. The Undertaker’s symbol is hung above the ring in neon. It’s kitschy.
The Undertaker takes off his hat, and attempts the eye-roll. But he can’t do it for very long, and the camera zooms in on his disappointment. Not frustration, mind you. He doesn’t appear angry at himself for failing, just sad.
Then, the King of Kings. The Undertaker is furrowed, but unsurprised. If HHH weren’t to have arrived, who would have? Who was Undertaker expecting? What would he have said? The players do not exist without their counterparts. The Undertaker doesn’t exist without an immediate opponent.
Both men have great voices, and both have performed lengthy and involved soliloquies. And yet, they stare at one another and say nothing. HHH looks at the Wrestlemania 27 logo above the arena. It has very much become a character in the setting this year. It plays its part as foreshadowing, but also as motivation.
There is no commentary, no microphone, no interview. There is no “promo” here. But there doesn’t need to be, as we can put together the pieces in our own minds, and the restraint made the scene seem special. It was a slice of the show completely detached from the whole narrative. It’s like HHH and the Undertaker are unaware of the rest of the roster, or the audience. And yet by doing this, WWE is willing to trust its audience, or at least their memory.
Audience memory is really important in professional wrestling. It’s what makes catchprases, taunts, and even the moves themselves mean something. Great wrestling psychology depends on the audience to understand the meaning behind the movements. In a way, what transpired between Undertaker and HHH was a sort of exhibition reliant on pure memory. And judging by audience and online reaction, it was a very good one.
K Sawyer Paul is an author and publisher living in Toronto. He tweets and tumbls. In the wrestling world he is known for This is Sports Entertainment and The Footnotes of Wrestling.
Edited by: Razor
