It's a Wonderful Life - A Live Radio Play

It’s a Wonderful Life a live Radio Play, by Joe Landry, is based on the classic film of the same name staring James Stewart. The play is set in a ‘live Radio Station’ at WBFR in Manhattan New York on Christmas Eve 1946. The actors take on several different roles, in front of a studio audience. They are the stars of the show and mix with the audience in character before the show starts. The entrance to the theatre has the ‘Stars’ photos and lots of information and there is a nice atmosphere. It was actually snowing on the way to the show and again on the way home, which really added to the Christmas Eve feel.

Director Brian Buck has an excellent cast for this production. The costumes, sound and lighting are good and the set is brilliant, with Christmas tree, a sound desk, seats and microphones. A lot of attention to detail and thought has been put in to make it just right.

Vic Milne starts the evening of as Freddie Filmore the host, introducing the actors taking part in the radio play, getting the audience to clap along as the box lights up on the studio stage, he also takes on several roles in the story with ease.

Rupert Bogarde plays George Bailey and is very good in his character. He has so much going on in his life he wants to end it all by jumping from the bridge, but Mike Watson is great playing Clarence his Guardian Angel who has been set to help him, and proceeds to show him what George’s home town of Bedford Falls would be like if he hadn’t of done all his good deeds over the years.

The other cast all played their parts very well, switching from one character to another changing the sound of their voice for each. Richard Barnett had some great lines, as his brother and cab driver. Debbie Murray, Hannah Marks took on lots of roles from George’s mother and daughter to name a few. Ingrid Bond was lovely as his wife Mary. Donna West played Mary’s mum and was great as the Superintendent of Angels sending Clarence to help.

But the part I liked very much was Steve Davis as Willie Shultz as the sound stage manager of the Radio, filling in all the sounds of the play from the wind, to the bar, clinking of bottles, water etc, all very clever and well thought out, and you just wanted to see what he was going to do next. I also liked the ‘adverts’ the cast preformed from the sponsors of the Radio play.

This was a great evening’s entertainment, and the audience really enjoyed it, as did we. I had never seen it before, and was so glad I saw this production. Well done to everyone.

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