Reviews

Review of 'The Maids' at

Wolverhampton Arena, Feb 15th 2007

Genets ‘The Maids’

Five Ways Theatre

The Nightingale Club, Birmingham

16th July 2007

Cast;

Claire : Jeremy Williams

Solange : John Harby

Madame : Jennifer Bosomworth

Genets ‘The Maids’ a sordid tail of hatred, humiliation, envy and

destruction as the titular maids plot the death of their mistress.

The play starts with Claire, who we believe is the mistress

ordering Solange to do chore after chore in the rudest and cruellest

manner, we soon realise that both are maids acting out a fantasy

 that releases them from the humdrum servitude of their existence.

The plot revolves around these fantasy scenes and the real life

drama of the arrest of the Madame’s lover, orchestrated by letters

sent the police penned by Claire. Culminating in a disturbing final

scene when the fantasy is finally enacted, with a disturbing twist.

As directed by playwright Genet, the maids are played by men,

a difficult piece for both audience and actors with the constant

shifting of character and personalities, was expertly played by

the cast of three.

Jennifer Bosomworth completely captured the supercilious

nature of the Madame, unaware of the hatred around her and

bringing a schizophrenic comedy to the proceedings. Her strong

presence captured the essence of the snobbish and ego-centric

Madame, highlighting the class tension

between her and the Maids...

The Maids can be seen at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival : Venue 45,

39 Jeffrey Street, Edinburgh EH1 1DH

From August 13th till August 25th 2007