(http://www.robincamille.com/2009-03-22-veiled-lady-femme-voilee/) accessed: 12/03/13
“Men do not think of themselves as cases to be opened up” ((Showalter, Elaine (1992) Sexual Anarchy: Gender and Culture at the Fin de Siecle London: Virago Press. page 134)) in a sexual context. They want to carry out the act of opening to get the feeling of power and domination. They can choose a time and a place for this act to be carried out which takes away any power from the woman.
“They gain control over an elusive and threatening femininity by turning the woman into a “case” to be opened or shut.” ((Showalter, Elaine (1992) Sexual Anarchy: Gender and Culture at the Fin de Siecle London: Virago Press. page 134))
With reference to our performance, the cupboard represents the metaphorical case. It is opened by another performer but will invoke different audience reactions depending on the gender of the performer. If a male opened the cupboard to reveal a naked, bound and gagged female, it would come across as much more sinister than if it was the other way around.
A female is generally considered to be the more vulnerable. For instance, when walking in the street at night, a lone female would be considered to be more at risk. So what would happen if we were to reverse that? How would a man feel if his power was stripped away and suddenly he became dominated by the same woman he was once in control of? How would he react? Would he then actively take on the role of the submissive?
If a text is being read to them by a female through their headphones while they are looking at the same female tied, gagged and blindfolded, they will sympathise with her. They will feel a sense of guilt if the text makes out that it is their fault that this character is in such a vulnerable position. If that text suddenly subverts into an accusatory text aimed directly at them, their role is instantaneously reversed. Their gaze becomes entirely different to what it was before. It becomes “both self-empowering and self-endangering.” ((Showalter, Elaine (1992) Sexual Anarchy: Gender and Culture at the Fin de Siecle London: Virago Press. page 146))
To accompany the shift in text, the ‘sub’ female in the cupboard will remove her blindfold and make constant eye contact with the voyeur. This in itself will be an unnerving experience, without the added pressure of the instructions on the recording. Lifting the blindfold is a powerful image “for what lies behind the veil is the spectre of female sexuality, a silent but terrible mouth that may wound or devour the male spectator.” ((Showalter, Elaine (1992) Sexual Anarchy: Gender and Culture at the Fin de Siecle London: Virago Press. page 146)) The idea of the veil was linked with femininity and was used in a ritual context. The blindfold could be considered to be the modern day veil for rituals like BDSM.