• The Jamie Lloyd Company presents two free post-show Traf Extras events celebrating playwright and reprobate Jean Genet on the set of his play The Maids, currently playing at Trafalgar Studios
• Play Reading: Bertie Carvel, Jonathan Broadbent and Marc Wootton in Genet’s Splendid’s
• ‘Jean Genie’: Jean Genet and David Bowie-inspired evening of drag performances with Victoria Sin and supergroup Denim
The Jamie Lloyd Company presents Bertie Carvel, Jonathan Broadbent and Marc Wootton in a reading of Jean Genet’s play Splendid’s as well as a Genet and David Bowie-inspired evening of drag performances and music in the latest Traf Extras events designed to bring audiences closer to the onstage action. Each event will take place after that evening’s performance of The Maids, currently playing at Trafalgar Studios.
Playwright, reprobate, activist and queer pioneer of the mid 20th century, Jean Genet was known for his sexually and politically innovative writing. His powerful psycho-drama,The Maids, can now be seen in the West End until 21 May in a contemporary full throttle adaptation starring Uzo Aduba, Zawe Ashton and Laura Carmichael.
On Friday 6 May, London’s finest drag artists will come together for an evening of spectacular performances on the striking set of The Maids in ‘Jean Genie‘, one of a series in the Traf Extras season. Named after David Bowie’s iconic anthem which was inspired by the writer, the event combines drag performances, Bowie songs and readings from Genet’s novels in a queer takeover of Trafalgar Studios featuring super-thrilling drag queen Victoria Sin – a performative girl in a normative world – and drag super group Denim, plus more. All proceeds from the event will be donated to Stonewall.
On Friday 13 May, Jonathan Broadbent, Bertie Carvel and Marc Wootton will take to the stage for a reading of Splendid’s, a breakneck mixture of melodramatic oratory and camp altercation combining Genet’s trademark dark wit with underground queer patois and gangster bravado. One of Genet’s masterpieces, Splendid’s was only unearthed years after the writer’s death. Jessica Edwards directs this reading and first major outing of the play since its premiere in 1995.
Jean, Scott and Bravo are in a fix, trapped on the penultimate floor of Splendid’s, Paris’s most exquisite luxury hotel, with only a radio set and their tommyguns for company. Food, water, and alcohol are in perilously short supply. The cops are preparing to shimmy in through the windows. The press are gathered outside. The Blaze of Glory boys have pulled off the most glamorous heist of the decade – almost.
Their only hope of survival is the beautiful, young heiress they have taken hostage. A perfect bargaining chip – except, someone has accidentally killed her. Can the gang hatch a scheme to buy themselves an extra couple of hours of freedom?
Tickets to Splendid’s and Jean Genie are free but must be booked in advance online at www.atgtickets.com/shows