Anyone looking at Jamie Lloyd’s current
portfolio of productions would think he might have been possessed by the powers
of darkness! After a long and very successful series of Pinter plays, and his current encounter with the demonic Doctor, I was very lucky to finally catch
his beautiful production of Genet’s cruel and devilish ‘The Maids’, at the
Trafalgar Studios.
Before any words were spoken, Soutra Gilmour’s
four poster Pandora’s Box set was teasingly seductive, accompanied by a lively
music track which strongly suggested this was not going to be a “bog standard
version” (to quote my theatrical neighbour’s preference) of this powerful 1947 play.
As the bedroom was unveiled, showered in
flower petals, we were finally introduced to Solange (Uzo Aduba) and Claire (Zawe
Ashton), grotesquely disguised as their “bitch”,“shit“ and “c&*t” mistress.
In an equally grotesque and intentionally disturbing dialogue, we've uncovered two very damaged, disrespected and dangerous servants,
who’s ambition was to commit murder, to gain freedom. Loosely based on the real life story of the French Papin sisters who murdered their employer’s wife in 1933, this controversial
three-hander clearly aims to explain and maybe even apologize for their
actions. “We’re shit”, declares the soured swearing Solange, “And shit can’t
love shit”, clearly proving that the disturbed sisters have nothing to lose.
Suddenly, the Louis-Quinze-Rococo themed room turns into a boxing ring,
as the sisters banter, batters the brutal truths out of their troubled minds. Aduba
and Ashton’s electricity, surely sparking nominations, if not winning the
Theatrical Awards, for their marathon mission to tell this tragic tale. A tear-jerking tribute to all the domestic servants who've sacrificed their
lives for others. Laura Carmichael’s ‘Mistress’ completes this
downstairs, game of freedom.
Benedict Andrews and Andrew Upton’s
deliberately explicit and explosive translation sings beautifully in Jamie
Lloyd’s masterful production, clearly confirming his undeniable theatrical
powers.
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