For those unfamiliar with The Maids – we hadn’t seen it until this week – it’s not an easy watch. Written by Jean Genet, who was closely associated with the ‘Theatre of Cruelty’ movement (theatre that shocked audiences at the time with portrayals of violence, and which challenged accepted social constructs), it explores the power dynamic between Madame and her two servants. This is a new translation by Kip Williams, who also directs; theatregoers will be familiar with Williams’ recent Olivier- and Tony-winning revival of The Picture of Dorian Gray, starring Succession’s Sarah Snook. Williams will also direct next year’s Dracula starring Cynthia Erivo.
This is a modern take which sees Madame (Yerin Ha) re-imagined as a wealthy social media influencer with millions of followers; her two maids, sisters Solange and Claire (Phia Saban and Lydia Wilson) are both obsessed with, and despise, her. The maids seem to enjoy indulging in fantasy role-play scenarios exploring the master-servant dynamic, and we witness how far they’re willing to take these fantasies in the real world when Madame arrives home.
For those familiar with Williams’ take on The Picture of Dorian Gray – which played in London last year and on Broadway this year – this production re-uses many of the same video techniques, including realtime visual manipulation. It’s effective and frequently amusing here, although having seen a very similar set up used so recently, the novelty has worn off slightly. Of course, if you didn’t catch that show, you’re in for a treat.
What stands out immediately about this play is the quality of the performances – the pace is relentless (100 minutes, no interval) and the dialogue is full of quick-fire exchanges. Each role requires a huge amount of stamina and each actor delivers. It’s a stylish production full of bells and whistles: from the aforementioned realtime visual manipulation, to the stunning costumes, to the immersive lighting and sound design, it really is a feast for the eyes and ears.
Yet something doesn’t land as effectively this time around – The Maids didn’t grip us in quite the same way as the The Picture of Dorian Gray did previously. At times it feels a bit overwhelming: perhaps this is deliberate but, particularly towards the play’s conclusion, it feels as though there’s a bit of an over-reliance on theatrical trickery. The subject matter is dark and twisted – we can imagine this being quite a polarising play, with some just flat out not liking it. However, while it won’t be for everyone, this difficult and intense production is at times really rather exhilarating.
GAY TIMES gives The Maids – 3/5
More information can be found here.