Remember Frank Capra’s, George Bailey, you know the guy that just wanted to die one Christmas day in “It’s A Wonderful Life,” because he just felt he was a nothing, a nobody, a zero, a nada? Remember the great lesson he learned? He learned that we all mean something. He learned that he, one person, made all the difference in lives of others. Remember all the characters in the movie, Mary his wife, Clarence the angel, his kids, the mean banker and others? Well, now imagine this wonderful story coming on the stage with one person playing the entire story? Wow, I certainly can’t but it is happening in the Lyric Stage Company of Boston.
According to this review, it’s a must see. The one-man show is titled ” This Wonderful Life.” Neil Casey is narrator and actor. The review goes on to say that the actor utilizes the small area on stage to effectively shift from one character to another, and change from one to scene to another. “He is constantly in motion.” He plays 32 roles to the hilt, so much so that when he shifts to George Bailey you’d think you were hearing Jimmy Stewart himself.
“Casey single-handedly brings Bedford Falls to life without even one costume change, giving fantastic impressions of each character in Capra’s masterpiece. He is humorous but convincing as the shamelessly flirtatious and blonde Violet Bick. He is appropriately wide-eyed and innocent as Bailey’s children, and the effect is both silly and adorable. He jumps into the chair and stiffens in his impersonation of cranky and miserly Mr. Potter, originally brought to life by the great Lionel Barrymore.” [Source tuftdaily.com]
The unique thing about this on stage translation of the classic story is that the narrator parenthetically puts his two sense in with opinions, jokes, etc,. It’s “much like that of someone whispering into your ear during a movie.” The actor adds a little light fair, “without losing the poignant meaning at the heart of the movie.” The on stage translation is also interactive with the audience ” at one point gesturing for the audience to call out the name of the guardian angel – which any fan of the movie would immediately know to be “Clarence.”
Although this on stage translation is done with a 21 century mind set, the story comes to life, you still get the “warm and fuzzy” feeling inside. I guess we can say that this story is timeless. That no matter how it’s done, or when it’s done, it is still true, we are somebody, and we can make a difference in the lives of others.
