Louis Riel's trial took place 127 years ago. But his legacy has greatly outlived him. He remains an important and polarizing figure - a messiah or megalomaniac, rebel or patriot, champion or villain.
And Riel's significance spread far beyond Saskatchewan and Manitoba. During his life, he was famous around the country, being elected to parliament and fighting in battles, real and figurative, that resonated from sea to sea.
Riel has been remembered, respected and commemorated in a variety of ways. He has been recognized as the founder of the province of Manitoba, and his statue now sits in front of that province's legislature.
Other tributes have been musical, artistic or political. In fitting with his controversial nature, they have ran the gamut from reverent to insulting. But one tribute to Riel is unique in that it takes a historical, rather than judgmental approach to the famous figure.
The Trial of Louis Riel was commissioned as a centennial project and Canadian playwright John Coulter was tasked with dramatizing the five-day trial. Coulter had already written about Riel twice before, with 1949's Riel and 1966's The Crime of Louis Riel. But for his third Riel-themed play, Coulter went to the transcripts of the trial itself to tell the story, resulting in a balanced view of what would have been itself a dramatic occasion.
The play's drama, accordingly, comes from the events of history themselves rather than from the playwright's pen. Riel was ultimately tasked with arguing against both the prosecution lawyers (who were trying to have him executed) and his own defence lawyers (who were trying to show that he was insane). When he was quickly found guilty, it was as much a statement about social forces in Canada as it was a legal judgment. Riel, a Métis who had spent much of his life in Quebec, was convicted by a jury of 12 Anglo-Saxon Protestants.
Of course, the story is also important locally, as Battleford played an important role in the 1885 rebellion. The Trial of Louis Riel was thus presented in 1985, for the rebellion's 100th anniversary. But it has not been shown since.
With the new Dekker Centre finished, the theatre company that has shown the play yearly for 46 years, Rielco Productions, will be returning to the Battlefords for three performances. The first, Nov. 5 at 7:30, is for the public. The other two performances, at 9:30 and 1 p.m. Nov. 6, will be for local students, though public are also welcome to come, as there will be some empty seats. The play will last 90 minutes.
For more information, contact the Dekker Centre at 445-7700, or by email at [email protected]. The box office can be reached at extension 2 or at [email protected].
