‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ set from the 1920’s till the late 1940’s in the small American town of Bedford Falls, is the story of George Bailey, whose ambitions had been shattered by the suffocating demands of his unfulfilling life, causing him to resort to suicide.
 
Paul Thornley (George Bailey) managed to create a character whose swinging emotions had everyone finding they could relate to.

The performance given by Paul Leonard, playing the part of Potter, was everything a creepy scheming antagonist should be, his strong vocal performances perfectly portrayed his confidence of power.

Other notable performances include those of Lucinda Shaw (Violet) and Kerry Washington (Mrs. Bailey). Both women displayed their outstanding vocal talents, and in the case of Kerry Washington, almost reducing the audience to tears.

I must say I was disappointed to find that Potter never received his downfall, but nevertheless I found the ending so uplifting that it hardly mattered.

The combination of a simple set and lights along with effects such as ice and snow had us all engrossed in a world we readily believed was true.

The entire play took me with it as it progressed, leaving it impossible to become confused throughout all the emotional turmoil. Never before have I found a musical that has made me feel at home, until now.

I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been to convert a film that has often been described as a timeless classic into a musical. It was a challenge that Steve Brown fully embraced and came out not only as a success, but also with a heartfelt message. That it is indeed a wonderful life.

Lori Thurston
East Bergholt High School
15th September 2009


The play is set in the fictional town of Bedford Falls just after World War II. It sees George Bailey preparing for his suicide on Bedford Falls’ bridge, when, personal angel ‘Ace’ shows.

He then tells his angel how he dreams of escape, and how every time he tries to escape he is grabbed back in to everyday Bedford Falls life. This is shown by his ‘unsung hero’ attitude in the Bedford Falls community, until he wishes he was never born. He then sees his true place and impact on Bedford Falls with and without George Bailey.

The set was different to the film; the set was simple, a monochrome sign of Bedford falls and a balcony. Although the set was minimal, I didn’t think the plot needed an intricate set.

Jo Servi as angel ‘Ace’ provided wit and humour, with antics to keep the piece from becoming too serious. ‘Ace’ was in almost every scene, somewhere, wearing a torn and dirty tuxedo with beaten brown boots. I felt this added a certain mystique to George’s very own angel.

Mr Potter was depicted excellently (Paul Leonard), a moody, scrooge of a man, barking orders from his wheelchair with the intimidating presence of his tall, silent assistant, adding to this Mr Potter’s vocal performances and facial expressions were also very strong.

I felt as it was important to understand the sacrifices that honest lead character George Bailey had made during his life. The plot was depicted concisely and to the point.

Compared to ‘true-bred’ musicals some songs were not as strong, which was expected as this was a converted film-to-musical, although some numbers were extremely impressive, group songs especially. 

 Overall, an excellent take on the film, accent, song and drama all obtained, a superb evening, suitable for all audiences.

James Wade
East Bergholt High School
15th September 2009