‘These despots, this rabble, these renegades from my army, these men of straw who dare to present themselves as righteous men in the cause of this outlaw in San Domingo shall be incarcerated. Toussaint’s sons and heirs shall face the guillotine. These malfeasants shall not disturb my slumber!’
Napoleon Bonaparte
‘The English trade in human bondage has been brought to its knees, France’s banner has been struck into dust. The whirlwind of my army has scattered the phalanx of mulattoes. San Domingo is following me to the conquest of the world.’
Toussaint L’Ouverture
THE spirit of revolution imbues a unique new production, the musical play ‘Napoleon Noir’, about to open at London’s Shaw Theatre.
Cavin Cornwall plays Toussaint L’Ouverture (‘Napoleon Noir’ – Black Napoleon), the leader of the Haitian Revolution that broke the chains of slavery on the island that was then known as San Domingo, 200 years ago.
He defeated the armies of Britain, Spain and France.
It is barely a matter of months since the giant earthquake that devastated Haiti, leaving an estimated 200,000 people dead.
Many thousands more were left homeless and fighting a daily struggle for survival in one of the poorest countries in the world, where unemployment is rife and where revolutionary uprisings have continued over the last two decades.
This continuous insurrectionary movement has led to several interventions by foreign troops and a Western-backed coup to remove Haiti’s president, Bertrand Aristide, in 2004.
‘It’s very important in these times, when you have a big national disaster,’ said ‘Napoleon Noir’ star Cavin Cornwall.
He described the role of Toussaint as ‘a goliath of a part, but I love it’.
He said: ‘We had little time in which to put this together and really get under the skin of the character, so my work’s been cut out and it’s totally dominated my life since taking up the part.
‘It’s an important role. We don’t have many black heroes or icons put onto the West End stage.
‘You don’t see many serious dramatic pieces about a black icon, about black liberators who are fending off the mighty powers of France and Spain.’
Speaking about the ‘unbelievable achievements’ of these revolutionary heroes to free themselves from tyranny, he added: ‘Haiti is one of those places they could never colonise again. So it’s something to be celebrated.’
He also said: ‘Anything that will highlight the plight of Haiti and keep it in the minds of the rest of the world is good. Haiti needs our help.
‘Jamaica gets hit quite a lot by hurricanes and I’ve seen the devastation.
‘We’re living in this life of luxury, although we do have our problems, but in Haiti there is real poverty.’
He reiterated: ‘The overthrow of slavery in Haiti was an absolutely incredible feat.
‘The play celebrates that achievement and celebrates Toussaint.
‘I am very proud to play this part and open up Haiti’s history to more people.’
At the heart of the production are the Mighty Zulu Nation, from South Africa, who play Toussaint’s followers, and Cavin Cornwall said: ‘For me, the presence of the Mighty Zulu Nation troupe is the essence and core of this production.
‘Come to see it at the Shaw, it will knock you dead!’
Ntobeko Cele, who plays Dessalines, said: ‘For us as the cast of the Mighty Zulu Nation, we’ve never been involved in such a show.
‘It is a big thing for us to be in it and we are very keen to see the result.
‘Another thing we would like to achieve if this succeeds is to help the Haitian people. And for the young ones as well to know the history of their forefathers.’
Chris Streeks, who plays Franco, said: ‘I think the play is an exciting and interesting piece of writing.
‘The rehearsals have been intensive, but they’ve also been very enjoyable and the end result is a fantastic show.
‘I feel it’s a benefit to the whole of society to be informed about aspects of African history, given that they were so significant in their poignancy.
‘What Toussaint L’Ouverture did at the time was amazing, given that the rest of our African-Caribbean people were still enslaved.
‘I think that young people need to see it.’
He added: ‘I think the situation in Haiti with the earthquake is one of devastation. It’s a world catastrophe.’
Katrina Nare, who plays Mireille, said she was glad she had auditioned for the play.
And director Hannah Kaye said: ‘It’s a story that isn’t told enough. It’s the story of a liberator and the message of it is that liberty is something that everybody needs to keep fighting for.’
She said that Toussaint L’Ouverture’s ‘greatest victory’ was that, even after he was captured by Napoleon’s army, the struggle continued and Haiti was liberated.
‘Haiti was the first Caribbean nation to achieve independence and the first black republic.
‘Even though he died, the struggle carried on and San Domingo was liberated in 1804 and renamed Haiti,’ she said.
‘Napoleon Noir’ is set in 1801 and explores Toussaint’s struggle to defend the newly-won freedom that a revolutionary war has given to Haiti’s African masses – taken in chains to the Caribbean by the European colonisers – and stop the white Napoleon’s forces from restoring slavery on the island.
Setting the scene, the accompanying programme notes say: ‘San Domingo is militarily strategic.
‘It is bounded on the north side by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the south by the Caribbean Sea.
‘It is inarguably rich in mineral potential and agricultural resources.
‘In fact, at this moment in history, the island is regarded as the third richest country in the world in terms of its agricultural produce – an unquestionable jewel in any colonial crown.’
Toussaint L’Ouverture – so named because he was born on All Saints Day (Toussaint), and because he can always find openings in enemy lines (L’Ouverture) – is ready for war and prepared to fight to the bitter end to defend the revolution.
He has confiscated the Governor’s house, situated on the northern heights of the city of Le Cap, and transformed it into his headquarters, modelled on the palace of Versailles.
This musical play is not meant to be an historical document.
The intentions of its author, Marcus Heath (‘The Ballad of Coldharbour Lane’, ‘Slow Feet on a Moving Street’), are to ‘entertain rather than to deliver a history lesson’.
In one scene, Toussaint confronts his snake in the grass French lieutenant, La Terre, and reminds him in no uncertain terms just what the Haitian people are fighting for, by showing him the scar that ‘may not be much to look at now’, but which burns deepest of all: the scar left on his wrist by the branding iron of his former slave master.
La Terre (played ably by Maurizio Molino) is constantly harping on about the ‘hopelessness’ of Toussaint’s position, urging him not to fight the ‘superior’ French forces.
How wrong history proves such defeatists to be: Haiti’s liberated black masses are never going back to slavery.
‘Live free or die!’ is theirs and their hero Toussaint’s guiding principle.
It is in this spirit that they went on to establish their own independent republic, a year after his death.
‘Napoleon Noir’ brings this revolutionary struggle to life for today’s generation, with rousing performances from the members of the Mighty Zulu Nation, including Zama Precious Siphengana (Yamaya) and Nokulunga Zikhali (Espinoza), and the rest of the cast, led by Toussaint himself (Cavin Cornwall).
For further reading about the history of the Haitian Revolution, CLR James’s celebrated work, ‘The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L’Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution’, is recommended.
