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Back on the airwaves
It's A Wonderful Life
Malvern Theatres
**** IT’S A Wonderful Life isn't just for
Christmas, you know, it's for life. The storyline may happen to open in the festive
season, but most of the story is set around the rest of the year and
based around the two life-affirming points; that no one is born to be a
failure, and that no one is poor who has friends. It’s 69 years since the film was released and
although there have been a number of adaptations in the UK, including a
musical version, unthinkably, it's never been done here as a radio play. This version touring the UK is performed and
designed as if for radio transmission. The inspiration for this high-energy enjoyable
adaptation was the Lux Radio Theater in Hollywood, which in its heyday
in the 1930s and 40s With one take in front of a live audience it would be performed in just a spoken format with sound effects and recorded with large microphones. The original Lux Radio Theatre version of the
film script was aired just months after the film’s release in 1947 and
had James Stewart and Donna Reed reprising their screen roles as George
and Mary Bailey.
This production is based on the classic film, set
in the small town of Bedford Falls, where we are reacquainted with
George, played by Oliver Stoney. He's a good man - ambitious, but so
busy helping others that life seems to be passing him by, until one
night he decides to end it all. That's when Clarence Odbody AS2 (Angel Second
Class) - the only available angel - is sent down to save him. Clarence,
after 200 years, has yet to win his wings and still wears the nightgown
he died in. It's amazing to see just six actors playing 33
roles, David Benson, with 1,000 appearances as Gareth in one Man Two
Guv’nors, plays Pa Bailey, Mr. Gower, Mr Potter and Officer Bert , for
example, but a story within a story suits this kind of narrative
storytelling. Benjamin Chamberlain plays multiple roles and
even has conversations with himself with plenty of laugh out moments,
such as bar owner Nick saying "Get me, I'm giving out wings". There's
also the Fast Show’s Arthur Atkinson style comedy when the radio show
goes for commercial ad breaks between acts. The reality of the ending makes this more than
just a feel-good play. There are people who inspire others to do good
and George is still one of those people. To 13-06-15 Johnathan Gray
09-06-15
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,
would put on abridged versions of famous movies for radio broadcast.