PART OF AN INTERVIEW WITH CARL FOMBRUNREGARDING THE PLAY “ PRINCE OF HAITI , KING OF PARIS ,” with: “George Barnes of Take 2 Productions,” at the Gusman Theater, Miami University , Miami , Florida - November 2004.
Lorna Chin .- Did you attend Prince of Haiti/King of Paris here at UM in June?
CARL.- Yes, I did attend the premiere of Prince of Haiti/King of Paris at the University of Miami last June. It was an exceptional reading, acting, and singing performance by the participants and I enjoyed it greatly.
Lorna Chin .- Do you think the play accurately represented French colonial Haiti ?
CARL.- The Prince of Haiti/King of Paris depicted with artful accuracy the subject of Moreau de St.-Méry and his out of wedlock mulatto son, the racial, color, class struggle, costumes, customs and songs of this époque.
LORNA CHIN .- What did you know about Moreau de St.-Méry before you attended the play?
CARL.- As an adolescent, reading Haitian history, the name Moreau de St.-Méry was familiar to me as that of a Governor, a French colonial official in Haiti and not much else. Since the floods in the city of Gonaives , Haiti , attention has been focused on a French official by the same name who had criticized since then, the deforestation in the colony.
Lorna Chin .- What did you learn about Moreau de St.-Méry from the play?
CARL.- The details of his life, socially and politically, which I did not know before and much too detailed to elaborate presently, due to the time factor.
Lorna Chin .- Is there something specifically about 18 th century French colonial Haiti , that the play demonstrated, which you would like to comment on?
CARL.- What I noted at a glance was Moreau de St-Méry's struggle to function in both the colony and the French motherland, and his obvious fear of losing both worlds in his privileged position.
Lorna Chin .- Did you learn anything new about the history of Haiti ?
CARL.- Except for the details of Moreau de St-Méry's life, there is not much else about the history of Haiti in colonial times I was not aware of in this play.
Lorna Chin .- Would you like to comment on one specific character in the play: Moreau de St.-Méry, Louis (his mulatto son), Minette (the first black diva of the New World ), Chartron (the plantation owner who accuses Moreau of presenting a motion to free the slaves)?
CARL.- The poignant confrontation of Louis, the mulatto son facing Moreau de St.-Méry, the white father he never knew. Louis comes to understand his island heritage, and the complexity and sacrifices of the fight for freedom.
Minette, the first black diva of the Americas stars in “Beauty and the Beast” in the largest and most luxurious opera house in the New World , the Salle de Spectacles in Cap Francais , Haiti .
Chartron, the French instigator, the ”agent provocateur” who owned a Haitian plantation, and who rocked Paris by accusing Moreau de St-Méry of supporting the abolition of slavery which caused Moreau's political ruin and the lynching of his family in Haiti by the plantation owners of French descent.
Lorna Chin .- Did you enjoy the dances?
CARL.- Yes. The dancing and singing were great and reminiscent as stated “ of historically accurate French Baroque and Haitian Music.,” which reconstructions were rarely before attempted, a mixture of 18 th century French colonial and Afro-Haitian dances…””
Lorna Chin .- What did you like best about Prince of Haiti/King of Paris ?
CARL.- It brought me back to an era which is long gone and gave me the opportunity to dwell again in some of the fascinating events which took place in Colonial times.
Lorna Chin .- Would you like to comment on Ms. Siebrecht's work?
CARL.- Kyle Siebrecht, for someone which roots are not related to the French and Afro-Haitian cultures, has done a fabulous job.
Lorna Chin .- What would you like to say to people who might be interested in going to see the play?
CARL.- Go for it : Music, Drama, Dance.