For years, sisters Claire and Solange have been housemaids of their ‘madame’ in a large house in the city. In her bedroom, they take turns pretending to be madame. Madame has gone to prison to visit her lover who has been convicted based on false anonymous letters, which were written by the maids. And now the two sisters want to kill their mistress. They have devised a good plan, but will they be able to execute it?

For The maids (1947), Genet was inspired by a sensational historic event from 1933: after years of loyal service, the two Sapin sisters murdered their two mistresses with a hammer and a knife. Why did they do it? Out of frustration about the relations between the classes? Out of anger and envy?