Les Bonnes

Les Bonnes [1] (The Maids) is a 1947 play by the French dramatist Jean Genet (1910-1986) [2].

The original text

It was first performed at the Théâtre de l'Athénée in Paris in a production that opened on 17 April 1947, which Louis Jouvet directed. A film adaptation of the play was released in 1974. Genet loosely based his play on the infamous Papin sisters, Lea and Christine, who brutally murdered their employer and her daughter in Le Mans, France, in 1933.

Translations and adaptations

Translated into English in 1963 as The Maids by Bernard Frechtman.

Although the roles were written for female actors, all-male productions have successfully been staged, for example the production by Maralin Vanrenen in Cape Town in 1974 and another production in Moscow in 1992.

Translated into Afrikaans as Diensmeisies by Wim Vorster.

Performance history in South Africa

1964: Phoenix Players production, directed by Barney Simon, with Molly Seftel, Barbara Itzler and Maya Obel in the cast.

1964: Presented by the University of Cape Town's Speech and Drama Department at the Little Theatre in August, directed by Robert Mohr in a double bill with Barnstable.

1970: In July the Libertas Theatre Club presented The Maids in the Libertas Theatre in Stellenbosch, directed by Annelize van der Ryst, with Marianne Roux (Claire), Sharon Montgomery (Solange) and Marie van Heerden (Madame).

1972: PACT Drama staged The Maids in the Arena at the State Theatre, directed by Barney Simon, with Barbara Itzler (Claire), Molly Seftel (Solange) and Carolyn Sacks (credited as "Carolyne Sacks") (Madame). Designed by Richard Cook and Ingrid Jansen. This production also played at the The Space in Cape Town.

1974: Maralin Vanrenen made her directing debut at the The Space with the English translation, staged with an all-male cast consisting of Bill Curry, Vincent Ebrahim, and Pieter-Dirk Uys. It only played for Club audiences. Originally to be played in drag, but finally done without props or costumes. As a result of interest in the first drag version, the final Sunday saw the original production followed by an audience participated discussion about the differences between the two plays.

1987: Staged in the Windybrow Theatre by PACT Drama, directed by Bobby Heaney, with Aletta Bezuidenhout (Solange), Clare Stopford (Claire) and Wilna Snyman (Madame).

1987: Directed by Embeth Davidtz as an Honours class production in August, Rhodes University Drama Department.

1988: Presented by UCT Drama at the UCT Arena, 16-26 November, designed and directed by Geoffrey Hyland, starring Damon Galgut (Claire), Barry Berk (Solange) and John Caviggia (Madame).

198* [**?? An Afrikaans version, translated by ** as **, was done at Think Theatre (Pretoria) in 198*, directed by Danie Burger. ?**]

1991: The Afrikaans translation by Wim Vorster, Die Diensmeisies was presented by PACOFS at the National Arts Festival (opening 30 June) and at the André Huguenet Theatre, Bloemfontein (opening 9 July), under the direction of Vorster with an all-male cast, viz. Hendrik Baird, Christo Compion and Ernst Eloff. Decor design by Johnny Boerstoel.