The article in question was actually an open letter to the President of France, Felix Faure, which was published in the paper “L’Aurore” in 1898. It opened with the words “J’accuse” — “I accuse.”
“In it, he accuses and names all he felt were guilty of framing Captain Alfred Dreyfus of the French Army, who was framed and sent to Devil’s Island for life,” Timmreck said, adding of Dreyfus, “And he was innocent.”
Dreyfus was convicted of supplying military secrets to the Germans and, as a result, was exiled to Devil’s Island. But Zola believed Dreyfus was a victim of anti-Semitism and had been wrongly accused. By broadcasting his accusations that the French government and military had lied in their charges against Dreyfus, Zola knew and accepted that his actions in defense of Dreyfus placed him in danger.
“He risked everything he had, but he wanted to bring it out and didn’t care if they tried him for libel,” Timmreck said.
No stranger to controversy, Zola’s other writings also caused a stir. He described the intent of his first novel, “Therese Raquin,” as wanting to reveal a family unable to discipline its “rush to possess all the good things that progress is making available and is derailed by its own momentum, the fatal convulsions that accompany the birth of a new world.” When his book “Germinal” was published in 1885, it drew light to labor conditions in coalmines and was attacked for being a call to revolution.
But it was “J’accuse” that caused the greatest stir, resulting in Zola being sentenced to imprisonment. He escaped to England, finally returning to France after Dreyfus was cleared.
As word began to spread that Timmreck was writing about Zola, she said she was frequently asked, “Who’s Zola?”
“So, that’s the question I pose right at the beginning,” she said. “And I give all the answers back — I can tell you who his wife thought he was, who his daughter thought he was, who the people of the time thought he was, I can tell you who I think he was — and then it’s up to the audience to figure out who they think he was.”
The setting is in the midst of the Impressionist Movement and many of the artists of the time were Zola’s acquaintances. In fact, the poster for the play draws from a painting by Manet.
“There were lots of things going on then in the world,” Timmreck said. “Lots of turmoil, strife, stress. Just like now. I felt when I read this like, my god, history is repeating itself. ... Man’s inhumanity to man is alive and well, unfortunately. When will we ever learn?”
Asked for similarities between “Zola” and other plays she has written, Timmreck — who cannot remember exactly how many she has written — said, “I think I write plays to celebrate people, and he was a man I felt I could celebrate.”
Barbara Petersen is directing the readings of “Zola”.
“I just feel really fortunate that I’ve been able to work with Shirley and had this opportunity with her plays to see them evolve and work on that process,” said Petersen, who has been involved with Timmreck’s work since 1989. “There’s a little bit of back and forth discussion, and in the process the play changes a little as the actors get into it and Shirley sees things and then the actors have thoughts about their characters as they develop them.”
There also will be opportunities for the public to discuss the play with Timmreck at the Bunnell readings.
“It’s interesting to see what people pick up,” Timmreck said. “Maybe I’ll get an idea that will change something in the play.”
Speaking of changes, does Timmreck see “Zola” heading for an East Coast stage as did her play, “Louisa?”
“I just write them,” she said. “When I know I’ve written a good play, that’s my creative dance. I enjoy that. Whatever happens after that is fine. But for me, I just have to keep creating things. Paintings. Writings. Something. I can’t just sit and be.”
The eight-member cast of “Zola” includes Dan Westerberg, Peter Larson, Ben Tillotson, Carolyn Norton, Peter Norton, Lance Petersen, Ken Landfield and Eric Timmreck. Tickets for the Friday preview are $8 general and $6 members of Pier One Theatre and Bunnell Street Gallery. For Saturday’s reading, tickets are $15 general and $12 members. Call 235-2662 for reservations.
McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.
Focusing on the author of “the greatest newspaper article ever written,” local playwright Shirley Timmreck has created “Zola,” a play about French writer Emil Zola. A special preview reading of “Zola” will be performed at Bunnell Street Gallery at 7:30 Friday. A reading of the play is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
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