HER PURPLE PAST is a bawdy rhyming romp through the colourful life of one of 17th centuries most scandalous women - Julie d'Aubigny

Known by her stage name of Mademoiselle de Maupin or simply 'La Maupin' Julie was a darling of the Paris Opera under the Sun Kings patronage. Gorgeous, volatile and a crossdressing bisexual fencing master, her multiple lovers included some of Europes most powerful men and beautiful women. Amongst her many outrageous exploits was burning down the convent of the Visitandines to cover her escape with a young nun whom she had fallen in love with — for which she was sentenced to burn on the stake as a witch — and killing three men in a dual who had challenged her at a royal ball as she was dressed as a man. She sang before the court and for the Sun King at Versailles on a number of occasions and appeared in many of the Opera’s major productions.

After the death of her lover in 1705, Mademoiselle La Marquise de Florensac, with whom she had dwelt ‘In such perfection they believed perfect’, La Maupin retired from the Opera and took refuge in a convent. There she becomes besotted by another novice nun to whom she tells her life story as they plot another daring escape so that they can spend the rest of their lives together…

This moving and darkly humorous romantic epic poem is the (mostly) true story of an exceptionally exiting and awe inspiring individual. Julie d'Aubigny. Duelist. Diva. Legend... Written and read by Mat Horton. Musical score written and performed by Herbie Wolf.