The Great War Remembered in Words, Images and Song
In two sold-out performances at the 2014 Elora Festival, Canada, Fall In! brought audi- ences to their feet and to tears. “Every Canadian should see this!” was a frequent comment by audience members afterward. Written by historian Hugh Brewster, Canada, Fall In! presents a dramatic depiction of the events of 1914-18 with actors, singers, and haunting choral music complemented by a screen show of and powerful photographs and splendidly remastered archival footage.
Distinguished Canadian actors, Christopher Newton, Brigitte Robinson and Andrew Kushnir bring to life the names now etched on monuments—Ypres, Vimy, Passchendaele, and Mons—and evoke the experiences of the men –and women- of the Great War through excerpts from their diaries and letters. The Elora Festival Singers under the baton of Noel Edison recreate the music of the period—from ‘Tipperary’ and ‘Roses of Picardy’ to forgotten Canadians songs like ‘Canada, Fall In’ and ‘We Are Sam Hughes’s Army’ to choral tributes by Healey Willan and others. A moving, unforgettable experience for any Canadian.
In two sold-out performances at the 2014 Elora Festival, Canada, Fall In! brought audi- ences to their feet and to tears. “Every Canadian should see this!” was a frequent comment by audience members afterward. Written by historian Hugh Brewster, Canada, Fall In! presents a dramatic depiction of the events of 1914-18 with actors, singers, and haunting choral music complemented by a screen show of and powerful photographs and splendidly remastered archival footage.
Distinguished Canadian actors, Christopher Newton, Brigitte Robinson and Andrew Kushnir bring to life the names now etched on monuments—Ypres, Vimy, Passchendaele, and Mons—and evoke the experiences of the men –and women- of the Great War through excerpts from their diaries and letters. The Elora Festival Singers under the baton of Noel Edison recreate the music of the period—from ‘Tipperary’ and ‘Roses of Picardy’ to forgotten Canadians songs like ‘Canada, Fall In’ and ‘We Are Sam Hughes’s Army’ to choral tributes by Healey Willan and others. A moving, unforgettable experience for any Canadian.
Photos by Bill Longshaw
Kudos for Canada, Fall In!
“It was amazing...a perfect marriage of words, images and sound. I’m still tearing up.”
-Nikole Kritikos
“The best encapsulation of Canada's WWI experience I can imagine.”
–Margaret Wente
“A nuanced, engaging portrait of Canada in the Great War, showing how achievement mixed with tragedy to define a century."
–William Thorsell
“The most informative, succinct and powerful production -it should be recorded and shown in schools.”
-Dinah Tremain
“It was especially moving for me to see and hear about what my father and thousands of other young men must have endured.”
–Catherine Lynn Kelly
“So powerful! I wish my whole family had seen it!
-Laurie McGaw
“Heart wrenching, haunting and moving. The actors were terrific and the solos and chorus breathtaking. I could see it again and again.”
–Brenda Dinnick
“It was amazing...a perfect marriage of words, images and sound. I’m still tearing up.”
-Nikole Kritikos
“The best encapsulation of Canada's WWI experience I can imagine.”
–Margaret Wente
“A nuanced, engaging portrait of Canada in the Great War, showing how achievement mixed with tragedy to define a century."
–William Thorsell
“The most informative, succinct and powerful production -it should be recorded and shown in schools.”
-Dinah Tremain
“It was especially moving for me to see and hear about what my father and thousands of other young men must have endured.”
–Catherine Lynn Kelly
“So powerful! I wish my whole family had seen it!
-Laurie McGaw
“Heart wrenching, haunting and moving. The actors were terrific and the solos and chorus breathtaking. I could see it again and again.”
–Brenda Dinnick