ED2014 Interviews ED2014 Theatre ED2014 Week1 Edition

Tamsin Clarke: Remembering a revolutionary

By Chris Cooke | Published on Saturday 9 August 2014

You may not be familiar with the story of Manuela Saenz but you possibly should be. A revolutionary in the Latin American wars of independence, the history books often mainly refer to her as the mistress of ‘The Liberator’ Simon Bolivar, but that wildly underplays her life and her role in the revolution. Setting to put that right is Popelei Theatre’s Tamsin Clarke, who has written and directed ‘Manuelita’, exploring Saenz’s life through stories, comedy, physical theatre and live music from award winning Colombian guitarist Camilo Menjura. We spoke to Clark about the subject of her play and how she’s transformed the revolutionary’s story into a piece of theatre.

CC: For the uninitiated, tell us a bit about Simon Bolivar and Manuela Saenz. Why are they so important in Latin American history?
TC: Bolivar and Saenz were revolutionaries during the Latin American wars of independence in the 19th century. Bolivar is known as ‘The Liberator’ and was head of the liberating forces. Although now revered, when he died in 1830 he was rejected by his peers and sent into exile. Saenz’s story is less easy to trace, because she was written out of the history books of the time, not least for being an ardent supporter of Bolivar and his revolution. She was a strong, progressive woman and a true believer in the fight for freedom.

CC: Until very recently Saenz was very often remembered primarily as Bolivar’s mistress. But that greatly underplays her role doesn’t it?
TC: Yes it does. Initially Manuela worked as a spy for the independence cause, even before she met Bolivar. later she joined the Colombian army, making it to the rank of colonel, a huge achievement for a woman at the time.

CC: Why do you think the history books have tended to play down Saenz’s role in the revolutionary world in which she lived? Is it another example of mainstream history focusing on the men in the story?
TC: Basically, yes. You see it all over the world, throughout history. But in Latin America, as a catholic continent, a married woman who embarks on an illicit affair with the Liberator is going to be very unpopular!

CC: What drew you to Saenz’s story?
TC: I read an article which called her the ‘harlot of the Americas’. I thought that was a pretty huge title to give someone, but when I read on I realised it all seemed a little out of context. And that made me want to explore it more, to find the truth.

CC: What research did you do before turning that story into theatre?
TC: I travelled to Colombia, Ecuador and Peru in search of the real Manuela Saenz. It took me over six weeks. I visited her house in Bogota, I travelled on horseback across the Andes mountains as she once did, and had jugo in the little shack where she ended her days in Peru.

CC: Tell us a little more about your company Popelei – why did you set it up, and what approach do you take?
TC: I set up Popelei Theatre with Scarlett Plouviez Comnas in 2012 for our debut performance of ‘Knowledge Of Angels’ at Shoreditch Church in London. Having graduated from Lecoq in 2008, I wanted to start a company that explored physically expressive work that was also accessible to audiences new to physical theatre.

CC: Although you have written and perform the piece, you seem to really value the collaborations with your team. How did you select your creative team?
TC: Most of the team I had worked with before and already had strong creative bonds with. Camilo was a gift from the gods. I had never expected to work with the UK Latin American Musician Of The Year! It has been a wonderful experience.

CC: Do you hope that the piece will inspire your audience to go home and read more about Saenz’s life? If so, any tips on where to start?
TC: Yes. I realised very early on that it would be impossible to fit an entire person’s life into one show. So I do hope that people are inspired enough to go away and read more. It is hard for English speakers as the best books I found were in Spanish. But there are short snippets about her online – you will have to decide whether they all sound true or not!

CC: And maybe audience members will wonder why they aren’t already more familiar with Saenz’s story; and perhaps how many other inspirational women have been edited out of the history books?
TC: There were plenty of female participants in the Wars Of Independence. There is a great book called ‘Notable Latin American Women’ by Jerome Adams. If I could I would write a show about each and everyone of them!

CC: Finally, does the Edinburgh Fringe provide an important platform for showcasing this kind of theatre?
TC: Absolutely. The Fringe is all about discovering new stories and new perspectives. Everything is possible and should be welcomed.

‘Manuelita’ was performed at Underbelly at Edinburgh Festival 2014.
LINKS: www.popelei.com