Article

Théâtre de Neptune en la Nouvelle-France

Published Online February 7, 2006

Last Edited March 4, 2015

Le Théâtre de Neptune en la Nouvelle-France was a drama prepared by Marc Lescarbot and performed in November 1606. It was written in the tradition of a réception , composed to celebrate the return of an
Thé\u00e2tre de Neptune
First play in Canada, 1606, imaginary reconstruction by C.W. Jeffreys, pen and black ink over pencil on cardboard (National Archives of Canada/C-106968).

Le Théâtre de Neptune en la Nouvelle-France was a drama prepared by Marc Lescarbot and performed in November 1606. It was written in the tradition of a réception, composed to celebrate the return of an important personage, in this case of Poutrincourt to Port-Royal. The play depicts the god Neptune bidding the travellers welcome; he is surrounded by a court of Tritons and Indians who recite the praises of the colonial leaders and sing in chorus the glory of the king. As befits the first play written in French in North America, it contains a serious attempt to depict a New World setting with "Indian" roles and a smattering of native words. Lescarbot published it as part of his collection of poems, Les muses de la Nouvelle-France (1609).