It's Christmas Eve. In upstate New York, in the smalltown of Bedford Falls, lights are twinkling and snow is falling. Yet for one man, the season of peace and goodwill brings only despair. Read more …
Through no fault of his own, one of the good guys, George Bailey, someone who has given up his youthful dreams of escape and adventure in order to help his family, his friends and the citizens of Bedford Falls, faces ruin and disgrace.
As George stands on the town bridge, staring into the icy waters and lamenting his wasted life, the people of Bedford Falls pray for someone – anyone – to save George from himself. And as if by a miracle, somewhere far, far away, those prayers are heard. And an angel named Clarence is given the chance to earn his wings...
Adapted from Frank Capra's classic Christmas film, this uplifting, bittersweet tale of small town lifeis one of the greatest festive stories ever told. If you enjoyed last year’s hugely successful production of White Christmas, then you can't afford to miss the Scottish première of Thomas M. Sharkey’s new musical!
What saves the show, in the end, is the sheer strength of this brilliant, timely story about different kinds of capitalism, the ingenuity of the staging, and the hard work of a cast who are often given very little chance to form a real bond with the audience.
Directed and performed with dramatic pace, music, song and dance, this is a magical, feel good, festive Show. Moreover, this "wonderful" Musical retains the warmth, humour and pathos of the original movie.
Credit where it’s due: set designer Charles Cusick Smith makes full and impressive use of the height of the stage during the bridge-set scenes, and Clarence’s daredevil plunge into the river sets up a pacy second act, but overall, this is a far from wonderful adaptation.
All -in-all, it’s a wonderful show.
Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Pitlochry from Friday November 29, 2013, until Sunday December 22, 2013. More info: www.pitlochry.org.uk