playing ‘the maids’
The Llanarth Group, Gaitkrash and Theatre P’yut
Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff
Using Jean Genet’s modernist drama Les Bonnes (The Maids) as inspiration, nine international artists have come together to explore the power dynamics of servitude in a bold new interdisciplinary performance.
Genet’s 1947 play tells the story of two sisters who work as maids for Madame. When Madame is away they construct elaborate rituals imagining the murder of their mistress. Although not a production of Genet’s play, playing ‘the maids’ does feature the character of Madame, a beautiful and captivating woman who is cruel and kind in equal measures. Jing Hong Okorn-Kuo, an independent artist, is graceful and absorbing as the wealthy Chinese woman who holds the power.
At her beck and call are two pairs of ‘sister-maids’- one formed from Irish company Gaitkrash and the other from Korean Theatre P’yut. Each of the four performers separately states their real name and the fact that they have never been a maid, but tonight they will be playing a maid. These overt references to the difference between performer and character draws our attention to the fact that we all play a multitude of roles throughout the day, wear a different mask depending on who we are interacting with.
Laced with humour and playfulness the production is wonderfully self aware. Each of the performers gives their all only to be stopped mid-word by the next section of the well-paced piece.
The production works best alongside the information in the programme and online. Without this supplementary material which gives the intellectual premise of the work it may be somewhat difficult to decipher. Onstage we are offered a series of visually engaging vignettes, fascinating in their own right. The soundscaping and musical accompaniment add richness to the action. But the performance feels more a feast for the senses than an invitation to discuss the ideas of modern servitude and oppression – although this was clearly the starting point.
The company is fearless with their experimentation with style and form – featuring dance, live music and text. Drawing on influences from a wide range of theatre practitioners and the use of multiple languages gives playing’ the maids’ a truly universal feel. The ideas explored have existed since the beginning of time and will continue to exist as long as one person holds power over another.