“It’s a Wonderful Life”
Adapted by Mary Elliott Nelson, based on the critically acclaimed classic film.
Production Week – WC 4th November 2024 at the Headgate Theatre, Colchester.
Synopsis
Christmas Eve, 1946, Bedford Falls. Down-on-his-luck banker George Bailey feels life has passed him by, and he’s at the end of his rope. Overwhelmed by family obligations and a sense of responsibility towards his community, he feels tied down to a company he has never had an interest in working for, and a life he never wanted to live. As he ages, he sees his youth, dreams and opportunities pass him by, feeling obligated to running his father’s building and loan business, whilst rivalling the villainous Mr Potter.
But when George’s guardian angel pays him a visit, he’s amazed to discover what life in his beloved town would be like without him. Maybe it’s a wonderful life, after all?
This adaptation is based on the critically acclaimed Frank Capra movie and follows the film quite faithfully. It was originally based on the short story and booklet “The Greatest Gift” self-published by Philip Van Doren Stern in 1943, which itself was loosely based on the 1843 Charles Dickens novella A Christmas Carol. Mary Elliott Nelson’s reimagining is a joyful story of love, hope and community.
Colchester Theatre Group’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” is an amateur production by arrangement with Nick Hern Books