The Japan Foundation (JF), in collaboration with Shizuoka Performing Arts Center (SPAC), presented Magic Maids, conceived and performed by Eisa Jocson and Venuri Perera, at the World Theatre Festival Shizuoka 2026 held in Shizuoka on April 25, 26, 27, and 29, 2026, as part of “BIOTOPE,” a people-to-people exchange initiative for theatre professionals from Japan and Southeast Asia. Alongside the performances, two workshops led by the artists were also held.
“Magic Maids” is a collaborative work by Philippine artist Eisa Jocson and Sri Lankan artist Venuri Perera. Both artists, internationally recognized for works addressing gender, labor, and the violence of nationalism, describe “Magic Maids” as a natural development of their artistic practices. Coming from regions that have long sent large numbers of domestic workers overseas, the two artists collected the voices of women migrant workers and created a performance using brooms—both household cleaning tools and historical symbols of witches in Europe—as extensions of their bodies.
The performance included moments in which the audience was asked, “Do you have a sri lankan?”―a question implying to mean, “Do you employ a domestic worker?”―as well as scenes introducing cases of domestic workers who have faced oppression and even execution. In doing so, the work encouraged audiences to reconsider their own daily lives and values.
In the workshop titled “Broomology,” participants engaged in movement exercises while straddling brooms, reflecting on changes in their bodily sensations and psychological states through the experience. One participant commented that experiencing the movements firsthand before hearing an explanation of the work helped them understand the concept from a different perspective from simply watching the performance.
Workshop by Eisa Jocson, Venuri Perera
Outline
| Date/Time | Performance: Saturday, April 25, 2026 / 16:00 Sunday, April 26, 2026 / 16:00 Wednesday, April 29,2026 / 16:00 Workshop for Theatre Practitioners: Monday, April 27, 2026 / 15:00-18:00 (Open Workshop) “Workshop for Magic Maids: Broomology 101”: Wednesday, April 29, 2026 / 10:00-12:00 |
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| Location | Shizuoka, Japan |
| Credits | Performance: Concept, Creation, Dramaturgy, Performance: Eisa Jocson, Venuri Perera Production: Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm Organized by the Japan Foundation, Shizuoka Performing Arts Center (SPAC) Workshop for Theatre Practitioners: Instructor: Eisa Jocson, Venuri Perera Organized by the Japan Foundation, Shizuoka Performing Arts Center (SPAC) Open Workshop: Instructor: Eisa Jocson, Venuri Perera Organized by the Japan Foundation, Shizuoka Performing Arts Center (SPAC) |
| Contact | Performing Arts Section, Arts and Culture Dept., The Japan Foundation |
