By Gopika (India)
photo credit: Arv Achal
Like a white mist that unfurls itself to reveal its hidden, but stark truths, “The Maids” raptures the minds of the viewers to present a reality that would be seemingly confusing to most people at first glance, and then as the show progresses, slowly but intensely driving us to recognise those very same characters within us, leaving us reeling with questions of our own existence and reality in this society.
To put it plainly, “The Maids” can be identified as a psycho-philosophical play. The director Seng Soo Ming has most certainly chosen to portray the message through unique, multilingual adaptation of the play, that gave the viewers the space and freedom to explore the different meanings and messages covered through the play, of our reality or rather, the illusion of what we want to believe is our reality. It talks about how every human is actually quite similar, but on the road to wanting more, created a system of the greater and the lesser, the dominant and the submissive, and with it became slaves to their own system, never being capable to free themselves from it. The characters of the two maids in the play unable to find peace within the chaos because of the contradictory realities they live and want to live in (even if the reality they want would make them villainous), tries to bring a finality to it by plotting to eliminate their masters. But as that plan falls short they have to continue to live on with their normal lives despite being crestfallen about it.
They play winds up with the crew of the play handing over the cup of poisoned tea to the audience wordlessly conveying a truth as clear as black and white. This cup of tea belongs to you too. You are the maids. And you are the masters too. We are similar species like the teeth that belong together. But like every other bitter truth, we tend to believe in the glittering mask we cover it with.
Comments