The National Arts Centre theatre will be embarking on one of its most ambitious productions this winter with a two-part adaptation of Ann-Marie MacDonald’s novel Fall on Your Knees.
Fall on Your Knees is a multigenerational saga that takes place throughout the 20th century in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The story will be told across two performances, which will run simultaneously in Ottawa. The first part, entitled “Family Tree”, begins with the courtship of local Scottish-descended boy James Piper and Materia, the daughter of Lebanese immigrants, and the challenges they have to face. Part Two, “The Diary”, is set in 1920s Harlem and tells a love story set amidst the rise of jazz.
The theatrical adaptation of MacDonald’s novel was created as a collaboration between writer Hannah Moscovitch and director Alisa Palmer. Starring actors include Tim Campbell, Janelle Cooper, Diane Flacks, and Eva Foote, with actors playing multiple parts across the two performances. Major plays such as this often use digital and media marketing in addition to time-tested methods such as poster printing to find an audience. This Ottawa production of Fall on Your Knees is scheduled to follow stops in Toronto and Halifax.
Both Part One and Part Two of Fall on Your Knees will be performed at the Babs Asper Theatre at the National Arts Centre between March 8 and 25.
