Les Bonnes

Les Bonnesmusical theatreLes Bonnes, returning to the Athénée with the troupe of the Comédie-Française. Created at the Athénée. The power of performance and imagination: two young maids plot the murder of their mistress in a ritual where roles are reversed.

In 1947, Jean Genet wrote one of his masterpieces, which has become a classic of the modern repertoire. The maids are two sisters, Claire and Solange.

They rehearse the murder of their mistress in a ritual where the younger sister plays Madame by adorning herself in her dresses, while the elder plays the maid. Having managed to get Monsieur arrested, they now plot the poisoning of their mistress.

Genet specified that he had not written a plea for domestic workers. Nevertheless, he offers a critique of 20th-century bourgeoisie and takes special care with the eloquence of those who are usually denied a voice.

A renowned director on the European scene and head of the National Theatre of Catalonia, Carme Portaceli dedicates her theatre to great female figures, from Emma Bovary to Anna Karenina and Mary Magdalene.

With Les Bonnes, she focuses on the social fracture at play in this trio of young women, between the hatred of the maids and the condescension of the mistress.

At a time when social media dominates the image we have and project of ourselves, she explores the contemporary echoes of this ceremony of vengeance. Mirror effects multiply the tension between desire and cruelty, blurring the lines between dream and reality.

The 2026-2027 season marks the fortieth anniversary of Jean Genet's death and the eightieth anniversary of the premiere of Les Bonnes by Louis Jouvet at the Théâtre de l’Athénée.

Text: Jean Genet • Director: Carme Portaceli • Featuring the troupe of the Comédie-FrançaiseDramaturgy I: nes Boza • Set design: Paco Azorín • Costumes: Silvia Delagneau • Lighting: David Picazo • Original music and sound: Jordi Collet • Choreography work: Ferran Carvajal • Assistant director: Ruth Orth