In IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, adapted by Mary Elliot Nelson from the Frank Capra film of the same, George Bailey is an ambitious young man whose intentions are clear. He is about to leave his home town and go to study at University. With his qualifications he hopes to establish a career that his family will be proud of.
George’s plans fly out the window when his father suddenly dies of a heart attack and he is left to take over the family business, the Bailey Brothers Building and Loan Firm. George deals with the disappointment as best he can, and believes in the company’s mission; to give the poorer people in the community the finance that they need to purchase their own home.
Things go terribly wrong on Christmas Eve, 1945 when his secretary misplaces $8000, a huge amount of money at the time. The loss means his company will go in to insolvency. George gets drunk at a local pub, and sees no other option than to take his own life. Can guardian angel intervene before he jumps?!
This is a beautifully told story with a very heartwarming theme. The Genesian Theatre Company production captures the nuance and spirit of the play as do the talented cast with Oliver MacFadyen and Natasha Todd as angel Clarissa in the leading roles, Many of the cast played multiple roles which they did well.
The staging worked well; direction by Kathy Petrakis, set by Harper Bilinski, scenic art by Vivienne Webster, costumes by Susan Carveth, sound by Michael Schell and lighting by Ethan Chan.
As it happens, during the run of the play, it was the state funeral this week for our greatest radio broadcaster John Laws. Laws signed off each broadcast by saying, be kind to each other. Russell Crowe in his eulogy said, ‘kindness is then only wisdom’. IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE is about being kind and the rewards that come to us even when in the darkest times
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE is currently playing the Genesian theatre, 2B Gordon Street, Rozelle.
