In 1933, two sadomasochistic sisters who worked as maids in Le Mans, France, murdered their employer and her daughter. French playwright Jean Genet’s play The Maids, which opened in 1947, is loosely based on the true story of Christine and Léa Papin and has been adapted a number of times.
Now it’s coming to Mildred’s Theatre Company, which is not surprising since it has a predominantly female cast and its subject matter definitely steps over to the edgy side.
“When selecting [a] play, I try to adhere closely to our mission of supporting the work of women in theater. I primarily look at plays written by women, but male playwrights are not excluded – [especially] if the play [features] a strong female cast,” says Mildred’s Artistic Director Jennifer Decker, who assembled the creative team behind this production. “I also look to produce fresh, new work, and we tend toward subject matter with an edge. The Maids fits that criteria perfectly.”
The Maids is directed by Umbrella company member Jon Harvey, whom Decker says she’s known for the better part of a decade. Since then, the two have been hunting for the perfect show for Harvey to helm. That play turned out to be The Drowning Girls, which was a hit for the company.
Finally, for those interested in viewing The Maids during its three-week run, Decker has a humble (perhaps tongue-in-cheek) request: “I really don’t know what that Pokémon thing is, but hopefully people won’t be finding them on our stage during the performance.”
Performances are scheduled for July 28-August 13 at 8 p.m. at Mildred’s Umbrella @ Studio 101. 1824 Spring. For information, call 832-463-0409 or visit mildredsumbrella.com. $15-25 .
This article appears in Jul 21-27, 2016.
