In The Maenads, five modern men journey up a mountain to escape the confines of masculinity by roleplaying as female followers of Dionysus. Led by Stewart, a reserved academic, the group which includes his recently divorced uncle, a sensitive colleague, a fratty friend, and a peculiar pickleball partner engages in rituals like choral chanting, invocations, and mock dismemberments. At first, the exercise feels like little more than an excuse to drink wine, but as the roleplay intensifies, reality begins to blur. Trapped on the mountain and unable to find their way back, the men are forced to confront their personal fears, emotional repression, and the deeper reasons that led them to seek transformation through this bizarre, ecstatic performance.