Robocritic reviews The Maids @ The Citizens

Preserve the public trust.

Genet used theatre as a weapon. Stuck in the margins of society - Stewart Laing comments that he has read an interview with the French author in which he complained that his acceptance by the literary establishment gave him serious writer's block - Genet embraced the idea of criminality as a virtue. Hence The Maids is full of anarchist content. The mistress, perhaps an avatar of God, is depicted as uncaring and thoughtless. The maids themselves are perverts, enjoying a series of role-plays and indulging sexual violence.

The public trust in the Citizens as a venue for entertainment could be seriously damaged by this production. The arrival of Laing on stage halfway through the production for a question and answer session, the musical interludes including a rendition of BDSM classic Venus in Furs, the unstinting representation of erotic bullying: these contribute to a disturbing atmosphere. The decision to follow Genet's instruction to have the female characters played by men, yet Laing's refusal to make them camp up the roles, offers a rare example of genuinely confusing gender identity.

Fortunately, Laing's skill as a director keeps Genet's balance between theatrical convention and mayhem. Laing highlights the ritualistic aspects of the script, and reminds the audience that this is not some kind of documentary but a surreal performance. Consequently, those values most prized by the audience - performances, set and scenery, visual spectacle and clear narrative - are held in place.

Protect the innocent

With the exception of David Bowie's Jean Genie, all material connected to Genet must be kept away from the innocent. In The Maids, the only innocent character (the unseen lover of the mistress) is arrested because the maids decide to grass him up to the cops. An exercise in corrupted desire, possibly influenced by the historical context of the 1940s (a France occupied by Nazis might encourage a writer to believe that his antagonism towards power is justified), The Maids is set in a universe where life itself is guilt.

Uphold the Law

The law in The Maids is the ultimate power. The threat of the executioner - and the bliss found in his arms - and the drama of punishment lies behind all of the servants' antics. Even the mistress is subservient to the law. It hovers in the background, provides the grounding for the various flights of fantasy. Not only is the law upheld, it defines the corruption of the characters.

Laing plays hard and fast with the laws of theatre. The curtain gets to do a funky dance, one scene is played out as a rehearsal, the director turns up (with a beard that really works) and chats to the audience. There is a video of Genet moaning at the BBC for making him a familiar face. The suspension of disbelief is shattered. It is as if the tyranny of the law within the play is mocked by Laing's freedom in staging.

(Classified)