Learning Something New…

I met three French scholars when I performed for The Thomas Paine National Historical Association, and they had great suggestions of possible venues in Paris for the play. I also asked one of them, Marc Belissa, Université Paris Nanterre, to read the section of my play covering Paine’s time in France and give me feedback.

My research when writing the play was based on biographies written by American scholars and then filtered through my own eyes, and this was a wonderful opportunity to hear a French scholar’s opinion of my understanding of Paine and the French Revolution. I learned a lot!

La Nuit du 9 au 10 thermidor an II, Arrestation de Robespierre (The Arrest of Robespierre) by Jean-Joseph-François Tassaert, 19th Century

I have no idea if this painting is accurate!

I believe that history is always, to some extent, subjective, and often simplified to support a particular viewpoint that can then become a “fact”, and it is easy for a playwright to help perpetuate these kinds of facts! For example, I learned that the phrase “Reign of Terror” was created, after Robespierre’s execution, by the “Thermidorian Reaction” that had revolted against the growing numbers of executions. The Committee of Public Safety, in which Robespierre was an influential member, did terrorize people, and 1000’s were executed, but the phrase itself was clever political PR to disparage the memory of Robespierre after his death. 

In any case, I have been doing some rewriting, good for me and good for the play, especially if I plan to perform in Paris! Thank you, Marc Belissa.