The Gaze began as a staunchly autobiographical invocation of its creator Himadri Madan’s relationship with her own body under a patriarchal gaze. Through collaboration and conversation, it subsequently evolved into an exploration of that oppressive gaze when it becomes internalised and repeated through social graces, mythology and, in this theatrical context, performance. 

A thin gauze which separates the stalls from the stage foregrounds the distance between Madan as a performing spectacle and the audience as her distracted onlookers. Yet Madan disrupts this relationship by inviting viewers behind the gauze into a red draped, electric-candlelit boudoir. Handwritten signs instruct the audience to actively engage with the exhibit. The resulting split between those who follow and those who apprehensively ignore the signs cleverly turns the audience’s gaze inwards. Afterwards, visitors are instructed to take their seats for the performance. 

Madan is an Indian Classical dancer rehearsing in front of an imagined audience while questioning the traditional ‘boy meets girl, tale as old as time’ narratives she enacts. Embodying the role of Draupadi (a feminist figure of the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahābhārata) she begins to unravel patriarchal mythologies and confront the shame they foster. These themes are poignant and far-reaching yet with the entire work lasting less than an hour, their exploration seems rushed. Part immersive exhibition and part play, with a concluding panel discussion in the vein of an encore, The Gaze felt hindered by its multi-pronged structure and short running time, which left its thematic possibilities only partly realised.

The Gaze, The Studio, Edinburgh, Saturday 28 February; reviewed at Tramway, Glasgow; picture: Susan Hay.