If You Fall

Margaret is a pillar of her local community. Norson is a brilliant cook. He loves cricket and fishing. She loves singing and her lavender plants. They’re both surrounded by loving families. Their lives are full… So what happens when you lose your independence, your voice, your mind – the essence of what makes you, you?

In Ancient Greece, older people were highly respected. In Egypt, old age was a marker of wisdom. Today, in the UK, care for older family members is often outsourced. But the care system is breaking at the seams. If You Fall tells the deeply human stories of older people, their families and carers struggling to approach end of life care with dignity.

Multi-award-winning Ad Infinitum brings you a moving, humorous and sensitive story based on real-life personal testimonies. Filled with acapella singing and their signature style of physical theatre, this intergenerational ensemble cast explore older people’s care in all its complexities.

There will be two performances with integrated BSL and captions on Sat 6 May (matinee) and evening of Wed 10 May.

Co-commissioned by Northern Stage, HOME and Corn Exchange Newbury and supported by Bristol Old Vic, Birmingham Hippodrome, The North Wall, Culture Weston and Theatre Orchard. Made possible through funding from Arts Council England. The production is supported by Paul and Joanna Pearson.

• Running time: 70mins (no interval)
• Age recommendation: 12yrs+

Content warning.

• This piece explores themes of dementia, death, grief, and loss. It also includes strong language, microaggressions, and graphic representations of intimate care.
• It also contains a few subtle light flickers and some fast snap changes in lighting states but
  no strobe lights