The Screens, Jean Genet's final theatrical work, stands as the apex of his dramatic exploration, reflecting the unique sensibilities that characterize his oeuvre. Genet's plays are renowned for their thematic diversity, though a distinct voice and vision permeate each work. His earlier plays, such as Les Bonnes (1947) and Haute Surveillance (1949), delved into the paradoxical elevation of evil and the fluidity of identity through role reversals. These themes laid the groundwork for his subsequent theatrical innovations.

In Le Balcon (1956), Genet constructs a surreal world likened to a brothel overseen by the enigmatic Madame Irma. Here, humanity engages in a metaphorical masquerade, confronting the distorted reflection of its moral and social constructs. This concept of a mirrored reality is further amplified in Les Nègres (1958), where Genet employs an audacious role reversal—black actors donning whiteface—to critique and satirize entrenched racial hierarchies, effectively turning a minstrel show into a powerful vehicle of subversion.

With The Screens, Genet synthesizes these recurring motifs within the context of the Algerian War, using this tumultuous historical setting to underscore the chaotic and capricious nature of existence. The play represents a comprehensive amalgamation of Genet's thematic preoccupations, where violence and anarchy serve as the backdrop to a profound reflection on reality. Despite the grim subject matter, Genet's work is imbued with a lyrical quality, as he consistently transmutes the raw material of life into a "Song," an act of artistic defiance and liberation.

Genet's ability to imbue the existential abyss with a compelling beauty sets him apart as a modern artist of unmatched depth. His recognition of life's inherent terror is accompanied by a celebration of its destructive magnificence, demonstrating his unparalleled capacity to articulate the grand and terrifying dimensions of the human condition.