A gently insistent ecological documentary 

Who would have thought political speeches would make such poignant dramatic material? Multidisciplinary artist Maryse Goudreau charts an impressive overview of the history of the beluga whale, through a meticulous collage of excerpts spaning nearly 150 years (1876–2019) of debates in Canada’s House of Commons. Presented as a reading/event and featuring five performers directed by Théâtre À Tour de rôle, this documentary work enlists the words of ministers and MPs to shine a light on the beluga’s political and social dimensions. 

As we move from discussions of large-scale fishing with explosives to a concern for the whale’s psychological well-being, the beluga becomes a powerful symbol of the evolution of our collective relationship to territory, resources and ecosystems. Gradually, the fragments of speeches weave a rich poetic fabric. Presented at sunset against the backdrop of Parliament Hill, La conquête du beluga is an ecological work that gently calls for a shift in our attitude to living things, encouraging us to look way back to get a better view of the horizon.