Les Bonnes

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

The original text

Translations and adaptations

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

Translated into Afrikaans as Diensmeisies by Wim Vorster.

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

Performance history in South Africa

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.

In 1974 Maralin Vanrenen made her directing debut with another production at The Space, done as it was written, 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 did 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.

Presented by PACOFS at the National Arts Festival in 1991 (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.

In 2008 this translation was performed at KKNK and other festivals.

Staged at Upstairs at the Market, 1993, starring Matthew Krouse, Robert Whitehead, Robert Colman