Zawe Ashton and Laura Carmichael are currently starring alongside Uzo Aduba in The Maids which is running as part of Jamie Lloyd's third West End season at Trafalgar Studios. Jean Genet’s powerful psycho-drama centres around two maids (Ashton & Aduba) as they fantasise about violently murdering their mistress (Carmichael).
Zawe is best known for starring as Vod in Channel 4's Fresh Meat whilst her recent stage credits include Splendour at the Donmar Warehouse and Narrative at the Royal Court. Laura famously played Lady Edith Crawley in all six seasons of Downton Abbey and in 2012 she made her West End debut in Uncle Vanya at the Vaudeville Theatre. On Monday (3rd March) I sat down with Zawe and Laura after the play’s opening night.
The Maids is a gruelling show to watch as an audience member and I can’t imagine how draining it must be to perform. “It’s completely exhausting” Zawe admitted. “It’s mental, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from Jamie Lloyd. I’ve worked with him before on a really high octane reimagining of Oscar Wilde’s Salome. By the end of the play I was half naked and drinking blood – so this is actually tame in comparison [laughs]! I couldn’t be more proud of the girls I get to share the stage with.”
