by SARAH FERGUSON
PhD Candidate, Department of Theatre, Film and Creative Writing

What is commonly believed to be the first play written and performed in Canada (and in North America for that matter) took place on November 14, 1606. Le Theatre de Neptune en la Nouvelle-France by Frenchman Marc Lescarbot occurred on the shores of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Annapolis River. In this spectacle, the aboriginal peoples of the area offered their world to the King of France and pledged their undying devotion. Now, whether or not the Aboriginal characters were actually played by white settlers and not Aboriginals has been a topic of much debate. Either way, the play set a dangerous precedent – one that would dominate theatre in Canada for over 350 years – suggesting that the only worthwhile theatre comes from abroad. Although the Aboriginal peoples of the time had well-established and intricate oral theatrical practices, they were completely dismissed in favour of a play that modeled theatre in France. If it comes from elsewhere, it must be better. This is not to say that there were no Canadian playwrights or plays, but British, French, and eventually American theatre dominated our stages until the 1960s.

Remember the 1960s in Canada? The country turned 100. Suddenly, we were no longer a fledgling land struggling to find its feet, but a nation that was ready to flex its artistic muscles. The National Theatre School was established, as was the Shaw Festival, the Charlottetown Festival, and the National Arts Centre. Regional theatres sprang up in major cities across the country – Manitoba Theatre Centre (1958), Halifax’s Neptune Theatre (1963), the Vancouver Playhouse (1963), Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre (1965), Regina’s Globe (1966), Theatre Calgary (1968), and New Brunswick Theatre (1968). In response to the conservative fare at the Regional theatres, the Alternative Theatre Movement exploded onto the scene with groundbreaking work being done at Theatre Passe Muraille (1968), Factory Theatre Lab (1970), Tarragon Theatre (1971), Tamahnous Theatre (1971), the Mummer’s Troupe (1972), and the Codco Stage Company (1973). Coupled with this wave of theatrical activity was an upsurge of indigenous Canadian playwrights. No more reliance on British and American imports. Canadians were writing plays about Canadians, for Canadians to see in Canadian theatres.