ANALOGIO FESTIVAL 2018
The Politics & Poetics of Contemporary Theatre
Jean Genet
«The Maids»
Directed by Marianna Kalbari
GREEK THEATRE – PERFORMANCE – SHOW CASE
Saturday 22 Sept. 2018, 22:00–23:30
Greek Art Theatre Karolos Koun – Ypogeio (basement)
Translation-Direction: Marianna Calbari
Collaborator in the Direction: Vassilis Mavrogeorgiou
Dramaturgist: Elena Triantaphylopoulou
Cast: Katia Gerou, Konstantina Talkou, Marianna Kalbari
Set & Costume design: Christina Calbari
Music editing: Nestor Kopsidas
Movement: Valia Papachristou
Lighting design: Stella Kaltsou
Assistant Director – Production: Marilena Moschou
Sound Editing- B’ Assistant Director: Konstantinos Efstratiou
Photos: Myrto Apostolidou
Greek Art Theatre (Theatro Technis Karolos Koun) – Ypogeio (basement)
Jean Genet’s legendary play comes back to the scene of the Theatro Technis -Ypogeio, just 50 years after his first presentation to the Greek audience in translation by Odysseas Elytis, directed by Dimitris Hatzjimarkos and with Reni Pittaki, Marina Georgiou and Ekali Sokou in the three roles.
The plot, in a few words, is as follows: Two housemaids devise the extermination of the adored but totally hateful Lady, “Madame”. Their naive plans fail and turn against them.
What is it, however, that makes Genet’s play so popular and to stage it so frequently on the world scenes since 1947 that has been written up to this day? For sure: «This is not a play that wants to defend the fate of the class of maids-servants. There is a trade union dealing with the issues of these people. It’s about an allegorical story…», clarifies Genet himself.
The maids, we are the maids. With our small and big dreams, the lies we say to ourselves and to others, our desperate need to escape from reality, to fantasize another life than the one we are living. We who envy what we do not have and we are tormented because we know we will never get it. We, who feel fear, hate but also worship over power. We who dare not live truly.
The Maids are the anti-heroes of the tragedy of our days. And their “Madame” (Lady) is the cheap goddess who defines their fate and directs their lives. No grand catharsis in this contemporary tragicomedy. Only human moments. Hard, tender, funny, violent, touching. And above all, a strong need for “play” until the final breath. This need that moves the theater itself and keeps alive our desire to resort to it either as creators or as public. Looking for this “something” that life insists on hiding from us.
