« Si on veut survivre, il faut changer d’espèce » : Chant d’humain à une baleine égarée que nous n’entendons plus

Abstract

Montreal, May 2020. As the world goes into lockdown and Quebec becomes the Canadian epicentre of the pandemic, Montreal sees a rise in infections. To this health crisis is added the appearance of a mammal in the waters of the St. Lawrence River, which sparks both fascination and concern. This context forms the starting point of Éric Noël’s L’amoure looks something like you (2022). A voice addresses the whale, named James, and retraces its journey, while Kate Bush’s lyrics run through the play like a song meant to hold its attention. “Whales hear our cries the way we hear theirs. They hear our songs too. Do we still hear theirs?” the voice asks. This question is explored through a language that shifts perspective and turns the animal into a symbol of our time. While the address seems directed at the whale, it also expresses a climatic, political, and social urgency. From Greta Thunberg to the Black Lives Matter movement, the solitary voice calls for love and consolation. Drawing on the play’s dramaturgy, we will analyse the stakes of this (new?) language, driven by the need to be heard and by the desire to exist outside established frameworks.