Delusions of singularity: aesthetics, discomfort and bewilderment in Kashmir

Abstract

In Kashmir, where the act of performing a script-based play on a proscenium stage is still seen by many as a controversial gesture, Cages involved the devised creation of a site responsive and immersive performance that placed two spectators, literally, in the shoes of an(Other). The potential of these forms of spectatorship, as explored in this article, lies in its ability to trouble ‘cultivated delusions of singularity’ By drawing from Erica Fischer-Lichte's approach to the aesthetic experience, Laura Edmondson's ideas on discomfort and James Thompson's thoughts on bewilderment, this article analyses instances and techniques from the creation and performance of Cages. Through this analysis, the article considers the many singular identities that Cages troubled – that of an authoritarian director, that of a dominant narrative and that of the space between Self and Other.

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