←Recommendations of The Female Gaze

Jillian Blevins uses the common mythology of Medusa to show us how women can protect one another even when they themselves have survived so much. This play is heart felt and oh so very smart. It has so much stunning potential for design. And includes a role for a blind/vision impaired actor.

Certainly a challenge for any male to read - lots of twisty mythology to work through. Very well written, though. The characters are delightful and the premise is top notch. The stage effects would be amazing to see. Good stuff!

Oh. My. Gods. I am shaken. This take on Medusa is so full of truths. It hurts how long her story has been told through a male lens. This is beautiful and heartbreaking. And so full of hope. I hope many people read and take this story to heart. Then may all womyn live on the same island Medusa and Metope now inhabit!

There are so many lines I love in this short play about how women are punished no matter what they do. Using Greek mythology to explore how, as the Barbie movie states, it is literally impossible to be a woman is genius. The title is perfection for a play centering Medusa, and I want a sequel about the island commune. Fantastic.

"It’s a comfort to exist without being seen."

What a MOOD, especially in this social-media-saturated world! I am a HUGE fan of this feminist revision of not one but two Greek myths in which women are punished—one for wanting, the other for not wanting. The dialogue is sharp, funny, and full of lovely, relatable gems like the one quoted above. I love the blend of the contemporary and ancient language and syntax, which really differentiated the character voices and helped keep these women distinct. A gorgeous, atmospheric short with brilliant opportunities for theatricality and a lot to say!

I really enjoy this little play, a nice "twist" and deep dive into a bit of classic mythology. A comedic (as opposed to comic) re-examination of legend through a lens hinting maybe, just maybe misogyny really is a thing (btw oh yes it is) and was back then. That we are perhaps in some ways wiser. I think that is a good thing.

"Not all men." Certainly. "But somehow, ALWAYS a man."

The phrase comes to mind.

Blevins is always top notch, but she has outdone herself here. This play is pure fire, retelling, remixing, and bringing out new points of view on classic myths. Medusa, in particular, has undergone a radical transformation in recent years, but the exploration done here is perhaps the greatest I've encountered. This is a gorgeous study of agency, identity, and what it truly feels like to be objectified and transformed into something you never wanted to be. Something women unfortunately still encounter every goddamn day.

If you liked Madeline Miller's novel CIRCE, you're going to lose your mind over Jillian Blevin's THE FEMALE GAZE. Reframing Medusa and Metope's stories through a feminist lens, Blevins calls out some enraging bullshit, uncovers new insights, and delivers a remarkably moving and redemptive story with immense humor and grace. (Bonus credit for the challenge of presenting Medusa's hair, which here is effectively a supporting character.) Great characters, sharp and witty dialogue, and small, telling gestures make this a winner. Lovely.

Jillian Blevins corrects the record.
The myth of Medusa has always been problematic (a fancy word for misogynistic), but in THE FEMALE GAZE, Blevins gives Medusa (and Metope, from another myth) their due. The dialogue is crisp and the staging is ingenious. This is a great and necessary updating of a classic Greek myth, one that makes the story of Medusa and Metope relevant not just to our time, but to all time.
Bravo!

A marvelous short work. Jillian Blevins aims "The Female Gaze" at the plight of one famous mythical woman scorned -- and one lesser known one -- to question the arbitrary cruelty directed at women not because of their actions but because of who they are. I love both how transportive and how modern this play feels, effortlessly navigating the fantastical and the divine with only occasional, though memorable anachronism ("Deus ex whatever").