PROJECT SHOWCASE

Wonderful Life

Podcast: Getting to the heart of the story Music for the Modern Theatrical Rendition

Entertainment news for South Wales “A theatrical experience audiences will remember for years to come!” Theatre In Wales “It is tempting to close the eyes and enjoy the sound were it not for the visuals.”

A Note on writing the music

We talked a lot about what the message behind this story as a team, and the place we came to was that it is about greater good’s ability to win over evil and strife. This immediately began to shape the journey of the music. The place we start as people, the destination we see ourselves going, and the struggle of getting there. In the podcast above you can hear how the musical structure was designed alongside the inner forces of the story

A central question that went alongside the creation of this music was: Is Philharmonic music just a bunch of related themes, or can it have real structure and shape; A beginning, middle and end like a symphony? Often with music which works alongside a story, one could assume that it has to be driven completely by the action to make an effective complement; But what if the music could both have its own integral logic and structure, and be fluid and dynamic enough to work alongside the action perfectly too? Everything about the music for this piece was related to that goal: Not only a real shape within the sory on stage, but also the music behind it

General Info

Many thanks to Ty Cerdd and Arts Council Wales for sponsering this production. This version of the show was debued on a tour of Wales with perfomances across 20 venues in the Autumn Season; The show was a live stage play which mimicked the radio boradcast style of radio production of the last 1940s

Inspired by the classic American film, It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play is performed as a 1940s live radio broadcast in front of a studio audience.

With the help of an ensemble of six actors and a live foley artist creating the sound effects, the story of idealistic George Bailey unfolds as he considers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve. It will take help from a lovable angel, Clarence, for George to have a change of heart and understand the true spirit of the Christmas.

Wedi’i ysbrydoli gan y clasur o ffilm Americanaidd, mae It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play yn cael ei berfformio darllediad radio byw o’r 1940au o flaen cynulleidfa stiwdio.

Gyda cherddoriaeth fyw a chast o chwe actor, mae stori’r delfryduwr George Bailey yn agor wrthh iddo ystyried dod a’i fywyd i ben un Noswyl Nadolig du. Bydd angen cymorth yr angel hoffus, Clarence, i ddangos i achosi newid yn nghalon George ac iddo deall gwir ysbryd yr ŵyl.

Performance in English

Touring Schedule

Thursday 21st November 20197.30pm, Pontio, BangorFriday 22nd November 20197.30pm, Neuadd Dwyfor, PwllheliSaturday 23rd November 20197.30pm, Y Neuadd, CefneithinMonday 25th November 20197.30pm, SavoyTheatre, MonmouthThursday 28th November 20197.30pm, Blackwood InstituteFriday 29th November 20197.30pm, Taliesin Theatre, SwanseaSaturday 30th November 20197.45pm The Hafren, NewtownTuesday 3rd December 20197.30pm, Lyric Theatre, CarmarthenWednesday 4th December 20197.30pm, Borough Theatre, AbergavennyThursday 5th December20197.30pm, The Memorial Hall, BarryFriday 6th December 20197.30pm, Ffwrnes Theatr, LlanelliSaturday 7th December 20197.30pm, The Welfare, YstradgynlaisSunday 8th December 20192.00pm, Pontardawe Arts CentreMonday 9th December20197.30pm, Theatr Brycheiniog, BreconWednesday 11th December7.30pm, The Riverfront, NewportThursday 12th December 20197.30pm, The Riverfront, NewportFriday 13th December 20197.30pm, Aberystwyth Arts CentreSaturday 14th December 20197.30pm, Aberystwyth Arts Centre