The tagline for Bijou is ‘A Cabaret of Secrets and Seduction’. Tell us about the concept behind the show.
Bijouwas conceived as a narrative-style play, in cabaret form. The stories unfold, and are either illustrated or actually told in the songs. I’ve used the format of the original Parisian cabaret shows at Le Chat Noir in the 1880s, where everything from song, verse, shadow play and straight storytelling was used. I wanted to tell the story of an irascible and fascinating woman, in a way that is entertaining, funny, and in parts very moving. The era has always fascinated me: the time from the 1930s back to the 1870s. In the show, no punches are pulled in terms of reflecting the attitudes of the time to male/female relationships, exploitation of children, attitudes to sex… now Bijou’s actions and reactions would be considered very un-PC, but in fact these attitudes still prevail. They are just under the surface.
How directly does the Madame Bijou character reflect its writer?
A great deal of the story is fictional, woven around the known facts about Madame Bijou. I was surprised to find that there are some autobiographical elements in the fiction! I am fascinated by difficult women who survive above the odds, and Madame Bijou definitely qualifies. There are parts of her character that have allowed me to express a sensuality and self-belief to the point of hubris, that I don’t consciously identify with… but they must be there somewhere.
You’ve worked in theatre and music for a long time – what inspired Bijou?
I saw a print of one of Brassai’s photographs of Madame Bijou at the Victorian Art Gallery, and I fell in love with her. Such an image! I wanted to be her, to tell her story, to tease out what brings a woman from riches and success to poverty and the state of a beggar. And to explore the effect that ageing has on women, where they fit in society.
What is it about Paris that lends itself so well to cabaret tales?
Maybe it’s because Paris was the birthplace of the cabaret, and is a city with such mystery and charisma. There have been so many extreme events there, and my story includes some of these – the underground tunnels, the siege in the 1870s, the execution of the Communards, the resistance to invasion in the First World War, the stories of the brothels; all are grist to the mill.
Bijou – A Cabaret of Secrets and SeductionatRiverside Theatre onSaturday November 8, tickets online.
