The Maids

The Maids, which dissects the maid/master relationship in a sadistic, psychosexual, erotic way, still rung true to modern life despite playwright Jean Genet penning the masterpiece some 60-plus years ago. Cate Blanchett as sister Claire, and the fiercely charismatic Isabelle Huppert as Solange, are luminescent in their roles as maids who have been subjected to a lifetime of being pushed beneath and below those above them.

Both repulsed and thankful to the employer, the sisters begin creating and enacting sadomasochistic fantasises while their mistress, (played by Elizabeth Debicki) is away, in an effort perhaps to cope with their psychologically terse situation. Debicki (who's already wowing critics in her role as Jordan Backer in The Great Gatsby) was a languid yet powerful presence on stage, cruelly (albeit subtly) presiding over Blanchett and Huppert, insulting and degrading them through her arrogant nuances and pretentiousness. Blanchett, who was fully realised in her portrayal of Claire, weaved her interpretation of the troubled neurotic character with ease, while Huppert lagged ever so slightly behind in the emotion stakes mainly due to the language barrier, with the French import missing the literary marks that were relished and expounded upon by Blanchett. Individually, the pair is strong; however, there arose a slight distrust of the entire scenario as it was hard to fully believe they were sisters. A stunning set from Alice Babidge broke down the fourth wall, with a giant screen above the stage showing close-ups of flowers and faces and even followed the actors off stage and into the bathroom. Oddly enthralling.

This adaptation, complete with Benedict Andrew's direction, has bought this eerie psychological character study to life in a way that leaves you feeling haunted long after leaving the space.