‘The Maids’ explores class divide

MANILA, Philippines – ‘The Maids’ is a play about housemaids playing out the ritual killing of their mistress. First shown in 1947, the play is still relevant to Philippine society today.
G Tongi reports.

Script below: 

G TONGI, REPORTING: I’m here at the Mirror Studio Theatre for the opening weekend of Jean Genets’ “The Maids”, concept and direction by Anton Juan.

First performed in 1947, Director Anton Juan finds the material particularly relevant to Philippine society today.
“The Maids” delves into the role reversal of characters, an allegory for the reversal of fortunes Filipinos know all too well.

ANTON JUAN, DIRECTOR/ ACTOR: We mimic our conquerors, we mimic our subjugators so we end up becoming like them and we are cruel to our own kin and our own citizens, “yaya”… That “yaya” culture, yaya bring me this, you know? It was the overseas workers who upheld our economy, you see? And that’s the double irony because we don’t treat them well.

Juan says the Philippines as a nation should be very grateful to our countrymen who became domestic helpers abroad.
They send in the dollars that sustain the Philippine economy.
Theater Actor Topper Fabregas says this is the kind of theater production that educates by holding up a mirror to high society.

TOPPER FABREGAS, THEATER ACTOR: If you see the play, you’ll just really see the difference and the excess again, the excess of this class…That’s their only world and they don’t know anything beyond that.

Juan and Fabregas play the the lead roles of women characters- Solange and Claire.
Interestingly, the role of the Madame rotates among the cast every night, giving a unique performance every show.

JENNY JAMORA, ACTOR/RED TURNIP PRODUCER: Surprisingly, it was a very generous process with all the Madames and we each found our own groove.

PAUL SERRANO, ACTOR: The concept of having ten madams, supposedly for ten shows, one thing that came into my mind was “What I’m going to play it once? Really? But thinking about the concept again. It’s Brilliant!

MERYLL SORIANO, TV ACTRESS: I was very scared to say yes, but the process, I’ve learned so much from this production, from all the Madames who have helped me understand everything coz I’m not really from theater.

Mirror Studio Theater Founder Jay Glorioso says straight plays such as “The Maids” offer the audience a respite from the more commercial musical theatre.

JAY GLORIOSO, ACTRESS/ FOUNDER, MIRROR STUDIO THEATER: This is an opportunity to portray different works which are explorative, introspective, very sharp into issues of society of class struggles which are not usually portrayed in bigger venues.

“The Maids” delves into the depths of the class divide, a fantasy that gives power to powerless through the ceremonial killing of the master.

G TONGI, REPORTING: Anton Juans’ take on Jean Genet’s “The Maids” is a classic example of introspective theater. It makes one question their own concept of “servitude”. Don’t miss this show!

G Töngi- Rappler Manila.

– Rappler.com