Historical drama tracing the life of Louis Riel and the political conflicts surrounding the Métis in the Red River settlement and western Canada. The play covers the events of 1869–70, including the Red River Resistance and the execution of Thomas Scott, and the North-West Resistance of 1885, followed by Riel’s trial and execution in Regina. Coulter presents these events through representative scenes, contrasting political, religious, and social viewpoints and depicting Riel as a complex and contested historical figure. First produced in Toronto in 1950. Coulter also adapted the subject for The Trial of Louis Riel, a documentary drama based on the 1885 trial that has been performed in Regina since 1967.
