La fille de Christophe Colomb

Written in free verse, this 1969 novel by Réjean Ducharme is a poetic oddity. Colombe Colomb, daughter of Christophe Colomb, embarks on an epic and magical journey, shifting the vain pursuit of conquest towards a quest for true friendship. Along with the dog Jean-Sébastien Cabot, the cow Meumère, the heron Néron and an entire enchanted menagerie, the Colomb heiress flees humankind in order to find the beauty of the world. Her noble voyage ends in an apocalypse.

The Port-Royal Readings

As we increasingly come to question the narratives that make up our history, what do we really know about the places where our theatre venues are located? What is their ancestral significance? How can we occupy them in different ways? Founded in Acadia in 1606, Port-Royal is the earliest fur trading post between French settlers and the Mi’kmaq Nation. It is also the place where the first French-language play was staged. When it was inaugurated in 1967, in celebration of Canada’s 200th anniversary, the performance hall of the current Théâtre Jean-Duceppe was named Théâtre de Port-Royal. This series of readings questions the power relationships between civilizations that define our stories. The voices of Innu poet An Antane Kapesh, legendary writer Réjean Ducharme, and essayist and playwright Pierre Lefebvre unite to raise awareness on the dynamics of oppression.

Produced by Festival TransAmériques
Text Réjean Ducharme © Éditions Gallimard, 1969
Directed by Martin Faucher
Performed by Markita Boies
Lighting Design Marc Parent

Presented in association with Place des Arts

Webcast
A film by Productions Extérieur Jour
Director and Director of photography Jérémie Battaglia
Production Manager Elodie Pollet
Camera Maxime Huot-Pelletier + Benjamin Schiavi-Paris
Lighting Juliette Dumaine
Editing Jean-Vital Joliat