A while ago, Autumn Morning Star spoke of a doll she had which was found tucked away in a dark closet for several years.

The eyes of the doll had been brown originally, but now were green.

At the time I thought this was an interestin premise for a story line and routine.


Now Ifeel so even more so.

The eyes in living humans can indeed change color.
Darkness causes the pupils to contract. this changes the retina as well sometimes creating a color change.

But emotions can also change the color of the eyes. Anger, love or fear perhaps

HAd the doll become so fearful oe enraged at being held prisoner in the total darkness of the closet that it changed the color of her eyes as well? What revenge might such a doll consider.

What secrets might she be eager to reveal?


Since children are closely tied to their toys, might that connection be a danger to the child who once embraced the doll lovingly?

Had the doll in fact died there in the darkness?

If she did, will her spirit haunt the house for all time?


Kotah

Or perhaps the doll became possessed by the spirit of a child who died an untimely and mysterious death.

A seance may need to be conducted to help uncover the true circumstances of the death.

The doll's eyes then revert to their original color, as a sign that the restless spirit is now at peace.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9lz_yzrGZw

I like your take on this quite a lot, and thank you for sharing and continuing the conversation.


Un timely deaths of children are in the news every day it seeme, child abuse and co -sleeping being factors.


If the doll knows the truth of the matter, perhaps the seance has revealed it, and brought her the peace you mention.


Kotah

Sounds like a routine you'd want to tread carefully if performing, and know the background of your audience too. I know folks who've lost children to SIDS. Might get a different emotional response than the one you are hoping for.

I have relatives who have lost a child to co sleeping.

Treading carefully in all routines of an emotionally sensitive nature is always wise.

Think them through carefully, then make your decision if it is something you could or would rather not use
It is as you said a very slippery emotionally vharged and dangerous slope.

K.

As an alternative:

Perhaps the deceased was an adult doll-collector/designer and this one was his/her favorite.

Maybe when the body was found, this was the only doll which was in an unusual position, maybe facing away/facing the wall.

Or maybe the doll went missing and turned up mysteriously at the grave site on a later date.

Or maybe it turned up among the effects of another person (a witch? the murderer?).

And maybe the doll has a clue hidden on it somewhere...a secret compartment that, when opened, triggers the change in eye color?

And the clue is a blueprint for the doll-designer's "eye-color-changing doll" idea

...yadda yadda yadda

Sounds like an alternative I'd be more likely to perform Mind Guerilla.

Kotah, you make a very valid point about it coming down individual choice and thoughtfullness.

I think D0lly D@rko creates a little emotional distance by being removed in time to the Victorian era, however, similar caution may still need to be employed.

I'm more likely to have a disclaimer that warns about the subject matter, than one which disclaims my show as trickery.

Always liked the idea of a child slowly transforming into its favourite doll, and viceversa...so "the eyes have it" to mess around with a phrase...

could port over to a vent doll too, maybe the ventriloquist's eyes are actually now the eyes in the doll's head...which means....

This may be way to cheesy but....
tell the audience of a old legend that once this happens anyone who looks directly into the dolls eyes could potentialy create a bridge and release the evil into them. Assure them it is just a legend and you have never seen this actually happen. Set it to the side and forget about it. at some point have the dolls eyes change. When someone notices and tries to point it out have them change back. Ask them to describe exactly what they saw but then assure them they must have imagined it and that the dolls looks the same. That sometimes the mind plays tricks etc.

I have only used dolly darko a couple of times so far, but I hvae brought her right out of the Victorian era to bring her into the here and now and that she is still very much an active, angry spirit. I have two friends that when they come around to my place always ask that "That Doll" is not on view.

Just warn people that what they are about to witness may be disturbing. Our performances are never as scary as we would like to believe they are, so lets go for what we think is petrifying, and we should get to a level that is scary.