Curtain Call
offers a novel interpretation of a classic Radio
play idea comes across best with eyes shut
By
Paul Lamar
Be prepared
for something different: it's Curtain Call
Theatre, after all!
Perhaps you have seen the iconic movie version
of "It's a Wonderful Life," or
the stage treatment at NYSTI.
Now you can catch "It's a Wonderful
Life" as a live radio play in a production
that makes Joe Landry's script as good as
it can get.
Yes, you hear a slight caveat in that praise.
Being a member of the audience of a radio
show certainly has its distinct pleasures.
You get to see the clever way that sound
effects are created with, say, combs, cutlery
and china. You observe the ease with which
a single actor plays two characters in conversation
simply by changing his voice and screwing
up his puss. You catch the pleasure radio
actors have taking a breather upstage and
then jumping to the mic or slamming a prop
door. Timing is everything.
Truth to tell, however, for a long narrative
like "It's a Wonderful Life,"
no matter how heartwarming the story and
how interesting this backstage glimpse,
the concept is slightly wearing. After a
bit, the eye wants to see something really
happen.
Tough
Circumstances
The story focuses on George Bailey (Ben
Katagiri) of Bedford Falls. Though young
George is thwarted from going to college
and seeing the world by a series of unfortunate
circumstances, he proves himself to be a
good citizen and a loyal family man to his
wife, Mary (Erin Bulman), and their three
children.
Later, however, after various setbacks,
he decides that his family would be better
off, financially speaking, if he were dead.
His guardian angel, Clarence (Alexander
Stern), proves to him that suicide is not
the answer, and the tale ends joyfully.
Director Phil Rice has done a first-rate
job of creating a 1946 radio studio environment.
Because the five Curtain Call performers
(also including Josh Mandel and Joanna Palladino)
play the radio actors who are doing the
broadcast, Rice has them enter through the
audience as those actors and make small
talk. Delightful.
There's an applause sign, which we gleefully
obey. Onstage pianist Elizabeth Sears ably
provides atmospheric music and supports
the quintet when they break into amusing
commercial jingles.
Finally, the costumes and makeup -- love
that bright red lipstick! -- aptly evoke
the era.
Great
Cast
You couldn't ask for a more versatile cast.
Except for Katagiri and Bulman, the other
three vividly play myriad characters with
a switch in volume, and adjustment of accent,
or a shift in range. And they throw their
whole bodies into every line.
Most effective of all is the speed with
which they pick up their lines: sharp direction
by Rice.
Bulman, who scores with a beautiful rendition
of "I'll Be Home for Christmas,"
is endearing as Mary, young and old; and
the lithe Katagiri, with a shock of unruly
black hair, channels Jimmy Stewart without
making you long for Jimmy Stewart. Nice
passion and poignance.
Part way through Act I, I solved the problem
(as did a gentleman a few seats over): I
closed my eyes and simply listened. Aha!
And when I opened my eyes from time to time,
I enjoyed what I hadn't been watching all
the more. Try it.
