Spy Glamour: A New Play Revisits Nancy Wake's Complex Legacy
She was an Australian bombshell with flashing eyes and boundless energy—a femme fatale who navigated the dangers of the Gestapo as a World War II spy. Yet, many remember Nancy Wake as a cantankerous elderly woman, lost in memories of her audacious youth and bitter about inadequate recognition for her wartime heroism.
The White Mouse Takes the Stage
For Australian playwright Christine Croyden, it is the vast chasm between the glamorous legend and the mundanity of peacetime that holds the most dramatic potential. Her new play, La Souris Blanche, opening at The Street Theatre later this month, traces Wake's remarkable journey from humble beginnings in New Zealand to becoming a formidable figure in the French Resistance.
Nancy Wake worked in the French resistance movement and later served as a spy for the British Special Operations Executive. Throughout the war, she operated under several codenames, but it was the Gestapo's nickname for her—the White Mouse—that endured. Croyden's production of the same name delves into this iconic figure's life, capturing the essence of her daring exploits and personal struggles.
Unpacking a Complicated Heroine
"Her story is rich with elements like loyalty, romance, and camaraderie—aspects that were profoundly important to Nancy," Croyden explains. "I am drawn to writing about women who may have been misunderstood or maligned in their time, and Nancy certainly fits that description. She was known to be quite the curmudgeon in her later years."
The play begins in 2004, when Wake—the most decorated Allied servicewoman of World War II—finally receives the Order of Australia. By this point, she had already been appointed a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour in France in 1970 and had previously turned down Australian medals. La Souris Blanche moves fluidly back and forth in time, weaving together different periods of her life to paint a fuller picture.
Beyond the Glamour: A Psychological Study
Many Australians might recall the 1987 mini-series based on an earlier biography, starring Noni Hazlehurst. At the time, Wake criticised the script and portrayal, expressing disappointment that the show focused more on a love story than on the resistance efforts. This tension between mythologised glamour and personal resentment forms a core theme of Croyden's work.
"I wanted to uncover who she truly was and the price she paid for her actions," Croyden says. "She often projected bluster and bravado, claiming she had never been afraid in her life. I suspect there was much more beneath that surface."
This production is not about adding another layer of gold paint to the legend of Nancy Wake. Instead, it serves as a psychological study—an investigation into the complexities of her character and the stories she told herself about her own life.
From Journalist to Spy: A Life of Adventure
Wake spent her early years in Sydney before leaving home at sixteen and travelling to New York, then London, where she pursued a career in journalism. By the time World War II erupted, she had worked as a roving reporter across Europe, witnessing the rise of Hitler firsthand. She later married a wealthy French industrialist, which led her to Marseille and eventual involvement in the resistance.
"Initially, she served as an ambulance driver, then as a courier, and gradually took on more espionage roles," Croyden notes. "She eventually had to escape France to train with the Special Operations Executive before being parachuted back into the country to work with the resistance. I believe that period was the most exhilarating time of her life."
Despite the pain, violence, and terror of those years, the adventure and purpose they provided were unmatched. The flashing eyes, the parachute jumps, the flirtations with danger, and the narrow escapes from capture all contribute to a narrative ripe for a thriller. Yet, Croyden remains more intrigued by the underlying human motivations and the ways individuals reconstruct their pasts.
Memory, Truth, and Legacy
Wake authored her own memoir in 1985, but Croyden views this as a starting point rather than a definitive account. "When you read any biography, you inevitably wonder: what has been left out?" she reflects. "That question fascinated me with Nancy, because memory is elusive and not always synonymous with truth."
La Souris Blanche promises to offer audiences a nuanced portrayal of a national icon, exploring the intricate layers of her personality and the lasting impact of her wartime experiences. The play invites viewers to look beyond the glamorous spy narrative and consider the human cost of heroism.
