Right on time for the holidays, Rogue Machine presents the Southern California premiere of This Wonderful Life, a one-man show based on Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life, a 1946 Christmas fantasy drama.
The story is about George Bailey, a man contemplating suicide and how an angel saves him and helps him get a new sense of purpose and see the joys of life. The story shows George’s life before and after World World II and the different characters he interacts with during this period.
Thespian Leo Marks plays the main characters of the story, giving each character a distinctive accent to get as close as possible to the original voices of the actors in the film, a challenging task even for the most seasoned actor. Leo shows not only his skills as a voice actor but also his kinetic abilities, as the show demands a continuous movement across the stage in a 75 minutes show with no intermission.
Also worth noting is the director’s touch to keep the story moving. Drew Barr, a Broadway-experienced director, makes great use of the lighting and some special effects, specially the one that re-creates one of the most iconic technical elements used in Frank Capra’s film: The snow.
The production design, the play script, and Leo Mark’s performance capture the symbols, allegories, and motifs of the beloved 1946 film in great detail, delivering a touching and powerful message of kindness and faith, a message that echoes the spirit of the holidays.
This Wonderful Life
Matrix Theatre
7657 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
