Jean Genet's ‘The Maids’ is inherently comprised of numerous layers of nested plays. Then, who are the actual maids living within that world, and what are their true emotions? Perhaps, although they live each moment as if it were 'real,' in fact, everything is nothing more than a 'play'? Just like that, ‘The Maids’ is intertwined with a narrative about theatre. This production, ‘The Maids in Korea,’ seeks to passionately unveil the intense layers of overlap and confusion.

The reception in theater and execution of ‘The Maids in Korea’ deviates from traditional methods of text reproduction. Instead, it presents a ‘living’ theatre, emanating from a reimagined interplay of images, lights, sounds, dramatic actions, and the rhythm of actors' performances. Emphasizing the playfulness of both inner and outer aspects, actors materialize unique performances through expressions beyond mere textual representation. Such intense performances establish authenticity, revealing a presence beyond mere existence, embodying living characters within the theatrical realm.

"Emptying out or becoming extravagant,
in order to transcend boundaries.
Exaggerating in order not to die."

- Franck Bauchard, Exagération

Several years ago, during the Avignon Theatre Festival, a small booklet titled ‘Exagération’ was published reflecting on the concept of pushing a performance to its extremes. The above sentences perfectly resonate with the risky boundary play of this production, ‘The Maids in Korea.’ Internationally, many performances are questioning the meaning of theatrical experience and how far theater can go. This kind of ‘boundary play’ ventures beyond the traditional confines of drama theater, but it's more akin to a precarious tightrope walk at the edge rather than a carefree leap into performance or conceptual work. In fact, the places where change and fervor occur are always at those boundaries. This production aligns itself with the contemporary trend of navigating the intense play between transcending theater and remaining within its bounds.

[Synopsis]
The maids have just murdered Monsieur, who had previously raped one of them, leading to the crime. As they try to erase any traces of the murder from the scene, blood seeps from the body of Monsieur in a box at the corner of the stage (representing the costume box in the original). Crouched in tension and immersion, Claire and Solange, driven by shock, fear, and a perverse thrill, agree to kill Madame in order to perfect their crime.

However, the narrative abruptly shifts as Madame enters, embodying the role of a critic who disapproves of such theatricality. With her appearance, everything the maids were doing or living, their genuine temporality, becomes confined within the framework of 'theater,' criticized and torn apart by the standards of this theatricality, including their terror of the murder and fear of another one.