Dan Domingues, from left, Kevyn Morrow, Ariel Woodiwiss, and Kate MaCluggage in "It's A Wonderful Life - A Live Radio Play" at Long Wharf Theatre. Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

Long Wharf’s ‘It’s a Wonderful Life — A Live Radio Play’ holds its own

by Kory Loucks


NEW HAVEN — When it comes to the play adaptation of the beloved Frank Capra film “It’s a Wonderful Life,” one of the most inspirational shows ever, there’s no need to mess with perfection.
Directed by Eric Ting and written by Joe Landry, this mostly faithful reworking of the film has the entire dialog, but sets it in a 1940s radio studio and turns it into a radio play. So far, so good, but for some reason they make it seem like a person from today’s world stumbles upon this old studio and then becomes the lead in the show.
I would have much preferred just doing the show as a straight radio play of the script, because it more than stands on it own. Even the title is overdone. It could simply be called “It’s a Wonderful Life — a Radio Play.” Obviously if it’s a play it’s live.
The plot set in the 1940s was originally written as a story by Philip Van Doren Stern called “The Greatest Gift.” It follows the life of George Bailey, played by Jimmy Stewart in the film and Alex Moggridge on stage.
George lives in a little town called Bedford Falls and as a child dreamed of traveling the world on grand adventures. When he is old enough to pursue his dreams, they are quashed when his father suddenly dies and he has to run the family business, the small savings and loan company that helps families own their own homes in the community.
When George’s absent-minded uncle who also works for the family business goes to make a deposit at the bank one day he inadvertently gives it to Mr. Potter, the scrooge of the town who wants to monopolize and control everything and everyone.
Unlike scrooge, however, Potter goes through no transformation. It is George who must change. George becomes desperate and convinces himself that he would be better off dead than alive.
About a third of the way through the production when George is about to commit suicide, the five talented actors who play all the indelible characters, leave the stage and George is left there on his own.
The other characters are still audible, as are the sound effects, but they are no longer on the stage.
This started me to wonder if any of the sound effects that appeared to be made by the actors when they were on stage were actually done by them or if they were all recorded in advance and they were just going through the motions. I don’t know the answer, but their absence detracted from play.
Alex Moggridge as George is believable and tugs at your heart as the man who finds out how important he is to his whole community, but there is no reason to leave him on stage alone during this section of the show.
I am not sure if they felt that the story wasn’t interesting enough as it is and needs something more, but it is and it doesn’t.
The set by Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams is convincing as an old radio recording studio and the costumes by Jessica Ford are all fine period outfits, especially the women’s clothes since the men’s styles really haven’t changed all that much.
The actors, including Dan Domingues, Kate MacCluggage, Kevyn Morrow, and Ariel Woodiwiss, are simply amazing, doing the voices of all the characters so well. The are the real delight of this show.
Despite the unnecessary fiddling about, this iconic tale still holds its own in “It’s a Wonderful Life — A Live Radio Play,” at the Long Wharf Theatre through Dec. 31.
3 Stars
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE — A LIVE RADIO PLAY
Theater: Long Wharf Theatre
Location: 222 Sargent Drive, New Haven
Production: By Joe Landry. Directed by Eric Ting. Set design by Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams. Costume design by Jessica Ford. Lighting design by Stephen Strawbridge. Sound design by John Gromada. Foley Artist Nathan Roberts. Stage Manager Lori Lundquist.
Running time: One hour 50 minutes with no intermission.
Show Times: Monday through Wednesday at 7 p.m., Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 6 p.m. on Dec. 24, and Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2 p.m. through Dec. 31.
Tickets: $70. For more information call their box office at 203-787-4282, or visit their website at www.longwharf.org
ACTORS
Dan Domingues
Kate MacCluggage
Alex Moggridge
Kevyn Morrow
Ariel Woodiwiss