La Souris Blanche (The White Mouse) is the nickname given to Nancy Wake, an Australian figure in the French Resistance. It is also the name of a play that will be presented at the Festival of Mother Tongues in Melbourne. We talk to Louise Howlett, the play’s director.
Bonjour Louise, you are directing La Souris Blanche, a play about Nancy Wake, an Australian figure in the French Resistance. How did you get involved in this show?
Christine Croyden, the author, contacted me via Facebook to see if I was interested, as I was already working on another bilingual project in French and English, Secret of the Raft. Around the same time, La Mama announced the Festival of Mother Tongues, and we thought it would be a great opportunity for this piece.
How and when did you first hear about Nancy Wake? What struck you about her story?
I’d already heard of Nancy Wake because, because as well as being a theatre-maker, I teach VCE French at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary school. Students often choose Nancy Wake as the subject for their in-depth study. But it wasn’t until I really immersed myself in her extraordinary life that I understood the full extent of her exploits and the exceptional courage she showed. We discussed this last night in rehearsal: she really was a forward-thinking woman, with a strong sense of self and a desire to do something to help during the war.
The play will be performed at the opening of the Festival of Mother Tongues. Tell us about this festival and how this play fits into the programme.
The play will open La Mama’s first ever Festival of Mother Tongues, an event that celebrates Melbourne’s linguistic and cultural diversity. La Mama, renowned for its rich programme of performances by artists from all walks of life, aims to attract an audience as diverse as today’s society.
The festival, which runs from 12 to 24 November 2024, highlights this diversity with programming in Farsi, Persian, Sicilian, Wathaurong, Marathi, Spanish, Filipino, Italian, Polish, French, Mäori, Greek, Mandarin and Macedonian. It offers local communities the chance to attend performances in their mother tongue and also allows English speakers to discover unique cultures and sounds in the heart of Carlton.
Australia only recognised Nancy Wake’s efforts in 2004, when she was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia as a war hero. Do you know why it took so long?
It’s true that Nancy Wake didn’t receive the Australian recognition that she deserved until 2004. The reasons are without a doubt multiple, but it seems that she she went unnoticed partly because of the secretive nature of her work. At the time, her exploits were not known to the general public, and it was only years later that her courage and actions were discovered and fully appreciated.
The play was written by Christine Croyden and translated by Véronique Duché. It will be performed in French and a little Māori, with English subtitles. When was it written and translated? Was it written especially for this festival?
No, the play has already been published in English and performed several times in that language. Véronique Duché, Professor of French at the University of Melbourne translated it into French specifically for the festival this year.
Tell us about the actors and their roles. What did you look for in the actors?
I’m lucky to be working with a great team, made up of talented people who have studied at the best theatre schools here and abroad. We have a diverse group of actors who are all French-speaking, although they have varying experiences with the French language. One of them has even learnt the entire text phonetically, which is absolutely impressive! Working with them, I discovered the wealth of talent here in Australia. In actors, I look for the ability to connect with others, to make words their own and to tell the story with sensitivity and authenticity, while remaining spontaneous and adaptable in the face of challenges.
You are also working on The Secret of the Raft, which is largely an interactive and audiovisual project. Can audiences expect special effects in La Souris Blanche (The White Mouse)?
Yes, we hope to use some projections, although it won’t be on the same level as Secret of the Raft, which is very technology-driven. I’m collaborating again with Aron Murray, a technology expert, which makes the project even more interesting!
Why should people come and see La Souris Blanche (The White Mouse) this November?
Because it’s an epic journey, full of suspense, intrigue and flashbacks between Australia and France. The play offers fascinating temporal transitions where past and present blend together to create a fabulous whole, populated by characters as diverse as they are captivating, from the most despicable to the most charming. It’s a rare theatrical experience, rich in emotion and discovery.
Are you planning to tour the show?
For the moment, my main aim is to create the best possible show, and we’ll see where that takes us next.
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We thank Louise Howlett for this interview and hope to see La Souris Blanche in the future.
INFOS CLÉS POUR LA SOURIS BLANCHE
WHAT: La Souris Blanche, a play to be presented at the Festival of Mother Tongues at the Mama Theatre in Melbourne
WHEN: 19 and 20 November 2024
HOW: This show is sold out so you can’t buy tickets now.
Do you know the story of The White Mouse?
Another play about The White Mouse was presented at the Adelaide Fringe Festival in 2021. Read our review of that show here.
Plan your month with our What’s on in November
