Why Runs The Abhisarika?
Priyanka Jain
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'Why Runs The Abhisarika' (2023), by Priyanka Jain. Photo by Abhijit Pal.
What goes on in the mind of a woman running out to meet her lover?
A sudden bolt of lightning flashes across the sky, sparking desire in a maiden’s heart and off she goes to meet her lover! Wait, playback and zoom in 1000x to exactly what happened within these milliseconds. This is a forensic investigation into why the Abhisarika runs. Audiences! Lets ask the witnesses- the trees of the forest, the snakes, the forest ghouls, the lightning itself!
Just like six blind men describe an elephant, each witness reveals a fragmented truth about its role in the Abhisarika’s iconography, elucidated in a song. The audience is invited to choose the sequence of motifs from the set design to hear their songs and string this performance of English spoken-word poetry and Indian dance together.
But why do their answers all talk about Dopamine? Come and enjoy a unique visual and oral storytelling performance with Indian dance and English spoken-word poetry about the simple neuroscience of passion.
Created and Performed by: Priyanka Jain
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Born in Kolkata (India) and now based in Melbourne, Priyanka Jain is a visual artist and storyteller focusing on Picture-Recitation performance practices which are fading in India. She has performances at the Fringe festivals in Adelaide, Sydney, and Melbourne in 2023. Priyanka is interested in mixing arts and sciences along with contemplations of the human condition.
Presented as part of Melbourne Fringe 2023.
