by Jean Genet Opening Night 04 May 2006 Director: Neal Barber
The Maids explores the ways in which identity politics intersect with servitude, gender, self-representation and criminality. The play is based on a real-life story of a pair of French maids who murdered their mistress. Solange and Claire always play a role. Throughout the play, we hardly ever get to see who they really are. They begin by playing roles of servant and mistress, each getting more carried away with their roles as the play continues. Genet shows us not only how a servant plays the role that the master requires but that everyone is constantly in a state of perpetual servitude to somebody or something.
