It could prove to be Croydon’s hottest ticket this Christmas, with seats selling fast even before Theatre Workshop Coulsdon confirmed performance dates for their production of It’s A Wonderful Life.
One of the all-time great Christmas movies, directed by Frank Capra and starring James Stewart and Donna Reed, has only just been cleared for stage versions, and the enterprising theatre types in Coulsdon were quick off the mark to get ready for their 2024 winter show.
And just in case you are one of those few people who have never seen the movie, with its bittersweet take on lifelong struggles, then read on here: “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets their wings.”
Bedford Falls is a small town in a big country, and for as long as he can remember, George Bailey has wanted to leave it behind and see the world.
Somehow though, he never got the chance. Now, on a cold Christmas Eve, he stands on a snow-clad bridge parapet, looking down into the dark, icy river below. He faces ruin, but perhaps one last sacrifice can salvage some small hope for those he loves. Kind eyes are watching though, and on the edge of tragedy, George is given a divine opportunity to see how his life has changed so many others.
This new adaptation of It’s A Wonderful Life by Mary Elliott Nelson follows George and many other inhabitants of Bedford Falls from the end of the Great War, through the Depression of the 1930s to the end of the Second World War.
We see wins and losses, the smiles and heartbreak that make up life in this small town, and lead George to making a decision that could change everything.
Based on the classic 1946 movie, it’s an uplifting, moving story of love, redemption and community. It’s also a brilliant, evocative slice of period Americana.
Come to Bedford Falls this December, via the Coulsdon Community Centre.
Click here to hear Paul Ford, a member of the TWC crew, tell our latest Croydon Insider podcast about how they have brought It’s A Wonderful Life to Coulsdon (requires subscription)
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ROTTEN BOROUGH AWARDS: In January 2024, Croydon was named among the country’s rottenest boroughs for a SEVENTH successive year in the annual round-up of civic cock-ups in Private Eye magazine
