"So many elements of Claude Cahun’s life are potentially theatrical"

Thursday 14 July 2022

The “theatrical” life of surrealist French photographer Claude Cahun will be shown on stage this weekend in a new play by celebrated local poet Jacqueline Mezec. Express found out how she got under the skin of the androgynous icon...

Claude Cahun (born Lucie Renée Schwob) is best known for her highly-staged self-portraits in which she assumed a variety of androgynous performative characters, subverting gender norms through the visual aesthetics of Surrealism.

Her artistic work permeated many other mediums and much of it was delivered in collaboration with her partner, Marcel Moore (born Suzanne Malherbe).

Originally from France, the pair relocated to Jersey in 1937 and become active resistance workers and propagandists during the German occupation. 

Pictured: Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore  enjoying the views at La Rocquaise in St. Brelade, the house which is now up for sale for £10m. (Jersey Archive)

However, their acts of rebellion eventually led to imprisonment for the pair and they were threatened with a death sentence.

Although this was never carried out, their their incarceration caused Cahun ill health until her death in 1954.

As appreciation of her work grew over time, Claude Cahun's Jersey Heritage-held catalogue has since toured more than 50 locations around the world.

Now, locals will have a chance to see Cahun's story brought to life on stage in CAHUN – a retrospective, a new play by Jacqueline Mézec.

The play, which was commissioned by Jersey Arts Centre and directed by Daniel Austin, features nine local actors who enact Cahun's "extraordinary life story from a difficult childhood in provincial Nantes, via the political and creative excitement of Paris, to an idyllic retreat in Jersey, while always challenging conventions of gender and identity".

Pictured: Since her “rediscovery” over a decade ago, Cahun has attracted a cult following among art historians and critics working from postmodern, feminist, and queer theoretical perspectives. (Jersey Archive)

The play's writer, Jacqueline Mézec, was born in Jersey to French parents. She was educated locally at Hautlieu School before gaining a degree in English Literature at Cambridge University. 

CAHUN – a retrospective is her second full-length play. Her first play, End Notes, had a rehearsed reading in the Jersey Opera House Studio as part of the Spearpoint New Plays Project. She has also won numerous awards for her poetry. 

Jersey Arts Centre commissioned Mézec to write the play in February 2021 and the first draft took one year to write. The third and final draft was completed in time for the start of rehearsals in April this year.

She compares the style of the play to that of Cahun's own writings, "incorporating black humour and poetry to evoke her voice".

Pictured: Claude Cahun (Lucie Renée Schwob) and Marcel Moore (Suzanne Malherbe) are buried in St. Brelade's Church's cemetery.

Describing the inspiration behind the play and her decision to focus on Cahun, Mézec said: “There are so many elements of Claude Cahun’s life that are potentially theatrical – the photographs which explore gender and identity, her artistic and personal relationship with Marcel Moore, her political awareness, and even her brief spell as an actor in Paris.  

“Add to this that the couple were resident in Jersey and risked their lives during the Occupation, using all of their political, linguistic, writing, and artistic skills to defy the Nazis which led to them being sentenced to death and imprisoned – all of this is rich source material for a play.”

Mézec’s intial plan for the play was for it to be structured as a prologue and 12 scenes. In order to avoid getting “swamped by research”, her writing process involved writing the first draft of the scene based off “instinct and imagination” before “fact-checking and refining details later”.

She explained: “The premise for the play is bold and fantastical, but I also wanted it to be grounded in factual accuracy, so it was about finding that balance. 

“There is more about Claude Cahun’s life that I could have included, but I focused on what would work best on stage and the elements I could weave harmoniously together." 

As research, Mézec read as many books about Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore as possible, as well as Claude Cahun’s own letters and essays, much of it in French. 

She described Jersey Archive as “an invaluable resource” with many of the couple’s photographs and documents available to view online.

Pictured: The plaque on Cahun's former residence in St. Brelade celebrates her "startlingly original" photography.

Mézec added: “In the year I spent researching and writing the play, I was getting to know Claude Cahun through her story, her images and words; trying to inhabit her skin, to find her voice, to evaluate her legacy and her relevance to a contemporary audience, and thinking of engaging and dramatic ways to bring her to life.”

One of the ways in which Mézec successfully brings Cahun to life on stage is through an ensemble “Chorus of Cahuns” who represent Cahun’s various identities and amplify her inner dialogue and storytelling. 

Mezec describes this Greek-style chorus, made up of nine local actors as representative of “an inner psychodrama projected outwardly. They are a babble of voices, chatty, observational, sometimes poetic, occasionally cacophonous.”

She adds: “The style of the play is intended to reflect Claude Cahun’s own writing style and imagery, incorporating black humour and poetry to evoke her voice.

“The premise of the play, from the outset, was that Claude Cahun could be played by more than one actor, in part to reflect her shapeshifting and enigmatic photographic self-portraits.

“I didn’t want to write dozens of characters and instead the chorus as an ensemble perform Cahun’s memories, as she looks back at her life. The play is like a retrospective exhibition, brought to life.”

Pictured: Marcel Moore, who was often the person standing behind the camera during Cahun's portrait shoots. (Jersey Archive)

Mézec was present at the first read through of the play by the actors in April, but hasn't attended the rehearsals since this point. She has been kept updated and has had input into creative elements, such as sound and design, however the opening night will be the first time she sees how her play takes shape on stage.

"I’m excited that Jersey’s first stage play about Claude Cahun will be performed at Jersey Arts Centre. In April I was at the first readthrough by the actors. I haven’t attended the rehearsals, but have been kept updated and I have had input into creative elements, such as sound and design."

She is looking forward to the show: "I think it is exciting that nine actors will each explore, embody and animate a strand of Claude Cahun’s incredible life story.

"I hope that bringing Claude Cahun to life theatrically will inspire audiences to further explore and celebrate her art and legacy".

CAHUN - a retrospective runs from Thursday 14 July - Sunday 17 July. Tickets can be purchased on the Jersey Arts Centre website.