March 12, 2004 -

Ottawa -- The National Arts Centre English Theatre invites you to join us at the next International Reading Series presentation of Jules Romain’s brilliant satire Knock in a new translation by Ottawa’s own Stewart Boston. Don’t miss this opportunity to see work that is rarely, if ever, performed in the Ottawa region!

This amusing 1965 satire dramatizes the ability of a charismatic doctor to exploit the fear, greed and credulity of an entire town. 

The French poet, dramatist and novelist Jules Romains was a prolific writer, but is best remembered for his 1924 play Knock. This satire on the power of medicine to impose on human credulity is regarded as “a masterpiece of irony, wit and comic invention.” This is the work that established Romains as a comic dramatist and gained him a lasting place in the international repertory.

An award-winning playwright, Stewart Boston has also translated a number of classics. His translation of Racine’s Phèdre (directed by Marti Maraden) was part of the National Arts Centre’s 1999 On the Verge. His verse translation of Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde was published by the Folio Society of Great Britain in 1990 and he is currently translating the medieval narrative poem Pearl into modern verse for the Folio Society.  His plays have been published by Simon and Pierre and the University of British Columbia in Canada and by Dramatic and Performance Publishing in the United States.  Counsellor Extraordinary was the first full-length Canadian play commissioned and produced by Edmonton's Citadel Theatre.

Mr. Boston has also had 18 plays and several short stories broadcast by CBC. In addition, a number of his essays, short stories and poems have been published and broadcast nationally and internationally.

Knock is directed by David William, former Stratford Festival Artistic Director, and features the talents of Pierre Brault, Todd Duckworth, Mary Ellis, Kate Hurman, John Koensgen, Jeff Lawson, Michael Mancini, Paul Rainville and Alix Sideris.

The reading takes place in the intimate NAC Fourth Stage at 19:30 on Monday, March 15. Tickets to Knock are available at the NAC Box Office and are only $10 for adults/$5 for students. 

For more information, please contact:
Laura Denker, Publicity and Media Relations Coordinator
NAC English Theatre
(613) 947-7000 ext. 389;
ldenker@nac-cna.ca