A Christmas classic is coming to the stage in Preston – but not at Christmas.
The Hall Players is bringing It’s a Wonderful Life to the Playhouse, giving audiences a festive favourite at an unexpected time of year, as the show runs from Wednesday 28 to Saturday 31 January.
The play is set in Christmas 1945 and stays true to the original film, even if some scenes have been trimmed for the stage.
Director Dominic Swarbrick says the story has been close to his heart since childhood.
He said: “I first watched It’s a Wonderful Life at six years old, and it’s an adaptation but very faithful to the story, you just can’t run every scene on stage.
“The actors are looking forward to it and they have to do American accents which aren’t easy, they’re all doing well and I’m very pleased with it.”
The role of George Bailey is especially demanding, with the actor on stage for most of the show, from childhood to the final scenes.
Dominic added: “He has a hell of a part, does George Bailey.
“This play was written for four people, but we have nine, with six playing multiple roles.”
The group is practising in different venues while waiting for the technical crew, with rehearsals going well. The production is ambitious in scale, with sets being built next week and sound almost ready.
Despite the challenges, excitement is high and ticket sales are strong. Some performances are almost sold out, partly because many people already love the film.
Dominic added: “You can’t adapt it to any other time than Christmas, but people remember it, and that’s what makes it something special.”
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