During this piece the spectator is led into a confessional booth where they are greeted by a woman who can barely be seen. The woman shares an intimate confession with the spectator and then the roles are reversed and the spectator is given the opportunity to share something with the performer. During the performance the actor tries to gain the spectators trust, she says “I’m here, you’re safe.” And “everything that is said will stay here, between me and you” (Eshed, 2009). This helps to relax the spectator and involve them in the piece.
Von Holn explained how her performance also displays the performer’s personal exposure, “What is essentially occurring is a making oneself vulnerable, the unpredictability of the audience response is an expression of that ‘disarming’ process” (Zerihan 2009, 79). As this performance’s success is based equally on the performer and the performer-spectator there can be a variety of outcomes for the spectator’s experience.
I will be researching, in much more detail, the use of One-on- one performances for my Solo Performance essay. I am really interested in the intimacy and involvement the audience receive during this type of performance and may consider it for my own solo performance piece.
