Sarah Hamilton’s French ancestors fled to England from France in 1685. Since then, generations have passed on stories of their adventures, and 300 years later, Hamilton has written her creative interpretation of events. Hamilton spoke with (small)LUST about her play, A Donkey and a Parrot, in which she plays 13 characters.

How did the name of your show, A Donkey and a Parrot, come about?

The name was drawn from two of the central heroes in the play.

The donkey, Constance, plays the vital role of carrying the Roussel family across France to Calais – their point of escape.

The parrot, Goldie, is the catalyst for the love story which unfolds. Her escape draws Bridget, Goldie’s owner, to my ancestor Laurens.

When did your family make the pilgrimage?

My family escaped from France to England in 1685. The year Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes.

Constance, the Donkey, made a pilgrimage that year to the calm sea of Calais. A place of deep personal significance for her. She carried my family with her.

How accurate do you think the story is now?

This story has really taken on a life of its own! There are certain things I know to be true, which I’ve included. There are certain things I’ve heard and read many different versions of. Over the last 326 years, people have certainly put their own spin on what unfolded. And there are quite a lot of things I have made up, for dramatic effect!

A Donkey and a Parrot is the result of generations of family members passing down what they have known, heard, read and imagined.

How did you research the play - what did you learn?

As a child, I heard parts of this story. They were pretty scary and swashbuckling. That was the stepping off point for me. I asked my mum about everything she knew. I wrote it down. I consulted my Aunty Marion, the family historian. She provided me with a wealth of recourses including a suggestion to read ‘Historical Tales for Young Protestants’ – a chapter of this book was written by an ancestor. The chapter ‘The Flight of the Huguenots’ actually details the escape of my ancestors from France to England.

The information which really blew me away was about what happened to my family once they reached England. I found out that one of the brothers, Laurens, was kidnapped and taken by ship to America. He was sold as a slave and worked for over ten years, then returned to England to marry a girl he met the day he was kidnapped. There is something about a parrot in there too, but I don’t want to give it all away at once….

Has writing the play made you consider how we record history? What are your observations?

Lots of accounts I have come across have been quite thrilling in description – very narrative based. Family history is an interesting kettle of fish. It is handed down by generations of family, and often things are embellished, glorified and altered to reflect positively on family members. Families supress darker things, and push forward exciting things. I guess that’s humankind. This play embraces that tradition of storytelling, but does not shy away from the dark.

How did you meet director Justine Campbell - have you worked together before?

This is the first time we have worked together. I had heard great things about her work as a director and actor – one friend said that she was ‘shit-hot’. I made contact with her, I sent her the script, we met up, and we chatted. The rehearsal process has been very collaborative and the script has evolved enormously.

How would you describe your on stage persona in the play? would you consider it a character or yourself?

I love this question! In the early drafts of A Donkey and a Parrot, I wasn’t in the play at all. I was thirteen different characters, but not me. A friend suggested I frame the play with a bit of an epilogue/prologue as myself.  This worked well and felt like a very natural place to have arrived at. I am now in the play as the voice of narrator/story teller, as well as 13 other characters. The convention of playing ‘myself’ has really opened up the plays exploration of how stories are passed down and interpreted. It is the first time I have been ‘myself’ on stage – and I’m enjoying it! I have loved exploring the personalities and motivations of my ancestors. It has been a humbling experience.

A Donkey and a Parrot

DATES: 23-25 and 27-30 Sept
VENUE: Fringe Hub - Errol's Cafe Upstairs
69-71 Errol St, North Melbourne
TIME: 7.15pm, Sun 6.15pm (55min)

DATES: 1-2 and 4-8 Oct
VENUE: Fringe Hub - Son of Loft, Lithuanian Club
44 Errol St, North Melbourne
TIME: 7.45pm, Sun 6.45pm (55min)

TICKETS
Full: $18.00, Concession: $14.00
Tuesday: $12.00, Group (4): $16.00
TO BOOK visit melbournefringe.com.au or call (03) 9660 9666