Credit to Floating Brick for daring to stage a seven-show run of It’s A Wonderful Life in the heart of Edinburgh at the height of Christmas. For as the theatre company’s name suggests, bricks shouldn’t float and neither should this production. On account of the fact their budget would struggle to fill a basket at Poundland.

Sure, there is more than a hint of Crossroads about the seventy-five minute adaptation of Frank Capra’s 1946 movie which runs at the Scottish Storytelling Centre until Saturday – shaky flats, uneven performances and scenes which end with a whimper rather than a bang (George’s first smooch with Mary a case in point).

But there’s no denying that the seven-strong cast have their hearts in the right place. Particularly Tamas Fazakas who not only writes and directs but gives an assured performance as the down-on-his-luck everyman who is saved from the brink of suicide by Angela Milton’s childlike guardian angel Clarence.

“No man is a failure who has friends,” quotes his wingless saviour from her beloved Mark Twain. To which we are led to conclude: money, fame and success do not guarantee happiness. Rather, as a certain ploughman poet once put it: “The man’s the gowd for a’ that.” That and the gift of life.

Much of the gravity and poignancy of the drama is diminished due to the brisk pace and pruned narrative which waters down and in some cases dispenses with many of the minor characters and subplots. But the essence of the piece remains. And Samuel Thorne’s frequent tinkling of the ivories charges the air with a much-needed theatricality. As does RCS graduate Callum Douglas who shines in a number of cameos.

So, what relevance, if any, does it have to Brexit Britain?

Well, in a week when Nick Hilton, co-founder of Podot podcasts tweeted: “Zac Goldsmith, what a story. Son of humble billionaire, at 23 made editor of a magazine (owned by his uncle), gets Tory nom for leafy London seat at 32, loses the seat twice in 3 years (also losing London mayoral race). Elevated to the House of Lords. Truly, the British dream.”

There is only answer: Britain like Pottersville is run by a privileged elite and George like Workington Man is tired of being a sitting duck; but rather than commit hara-kiri or kickstart a rebellion, we should take a leaf out of Flying Brick’s book (who are donating 10% of profits to the Edinburgh homeless charity Four Square) and put the needs of the many before the greed of the few. For as Clarence reminds George: “Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?”

Peter Callaghan
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