On Tuesday 14 May, A Level students (Martha, Sasha and Scarlett) treated us to a spectacular, immersive performance based on Jean Genet’s The Maids. Their task was to reimagine the text in a different context, reinterpret it for a different audience or any other kind of creative reworking. The piece was developed using the working methods and techniques of the theatre practitioner of their choice, Antonin Artaud. His Theatre of Cruelty style was certainly evident in St Mary’s Theatre.
Highly creative use of set, music and lighting complimented their intense performance and the girls succeeded in shocking their audience, who were led into the space by silenced doctors after receiving patient ID numbers. Through cleverly choreographed movement and emotional dialogue, we followed the story of Patient 3 as she was introduced to the world of Claire and Solange, who proceeded to transform her into their Madame.
The audience stood in stunned silence after they were ushered away from the performance space. Of course, when given the all clear, the girls were greeted with rapturous applause.
