The absurdity of a notion unravels with each why – keep asking, and soon it collapses under the weight of its own logic.
The One Man Show presented by VOX Muziektheater and conceptualised and performed by Linde Schinkel and Martine van Ditzhuyzen, is a satirical take on what it means to be a man, especially from a woman’s perspective. The best part of the show, at Canteen Walhalla – Veerlaan, was how curiosity-driven it was, it is narrated with a child-like innocence. The performers, enacting women from an older time, play out every stereotype of masculinity they come across, not just because they think it is better, but because they truly want to feel what it is like to be a man. Sometimes, the challenges or limitations of a certain position become clearer when you explore the privileges and freedoms of the other side.
They use toys, male dolls, and parts of mannequins, and try to experience the power, wishes and desires that men must experience. The humorous tone makes the commentary digestible.
Baroque singing adds to the whimsical nature of the performance because, while the question is serious — what is it like to be a man or a woman? — The way it has been answered is through laughs, great comedic timing and a playful wink thrown towards the audience, every now and then. The show’s intimate setup deepens the connection between performers and audience, especially in moments when the performers lock eyes with us while embodying the exaggerated mannerisms of a male construction worker, blurring the line between those on stage and the ones in front of it. The usage of props is brilliantly hilarious — the use of an ironing table to create a construction site, the use of mannequin legs to make a forest. It makes you realise that these notions we’ve built around masculinity and femininity are, at their very core, a product of our construction. The electric guitar, played by David Mackor, is another refreshing take on the more popularly perceived classical art form of opera. Towards the end, the acceptance dawns on the two characters as they do what women “do best”, set a beautiful table for dinner, but what’s served is a bed of perceptions – on what is taught – and what should be questioned. The table is set with a bouquet of male action figure dolls, and a tray of their heads, and they sit down to feast on it!
The show is a refreshing conversation starter and incredibly relevant, for in this age, as important as the rage is the need to dive deep and truly see what we chase when we try to dismantle power dynamics and gender inequalities. Atulya JAIN 30th May 2025
