Actors have fun with myriad roles
Christmas classic tale offers opportunities to play both serious and comic characters

By Lynn Welburn, Daily News December 9, 2010

When you watch the Chemainus Theatre Festival's production of A Christmas Carol, the people on stage certainly seem to be enjoying themselves and, from at least one actor's perspective, that is the case indeed.

"I'm enjoying this immensely," says Stefano Giulianetti who plays Jacob Marley, the Spirit of Christmas Present and Joe the Rag Picker in this seasonal ensemble production that runs until Jan. 8. "It's not uncommon to play multiple roles and I like that the most. There's never any waiting around to be on stage. There's never a dull moment."

Of course all the costume changes mean the actors have to doff and don their clothing at lightning speed and Giulianetti says a skilled batch of staff dressers and assistant stage managers help make it all run smoothly so that the play can keep on flowing and the action never stops.

One of his hardest changes is from Christmas Present to Joe in which he not only has to change clothes, get socks and shoes on, but also attach some sideburns.

Giulianetti says perhaps his biggest personal challenge was playing Marley's ghost.

"There's a lot of emotion in him, he knows there's a lot at stake. He has to get the message across that while he is in pain, there's a chance for forgiveness and redemption, at least for Scrooge," he says.

But for Giulianetti, the chance to play both high drama and comedy (as Joe), adds to the fun.

"I like to do drama and comedy in the same play and Joe is a distinct pleasure. It's a bit silly and it's fun to do the accent. I am much more of a character actor," Giulianetti says.

Something else he says that really adds to the show both for the actors and the audience are the special effects from the revolving stage to the projects of scenes behind the actors creating a very authentic feel to the show. But while he's immersed in the Charles Dickens classic tale as adapted by the late Jeremy Tow, former artistic director at Chemainus, what is his favourite Christmas Carol rendition?

"I would have to say my favourite is the Muppet Christmas Carol. It's really very joyous and some some touching moments," Giulianetti says. "And while the movie with Alaistar Sim is the classic, I also really like the Blackadder Christmas Special. It's the same basic story but I like how he inverts the morals . . . it's superb satire."

A Christmas Carol plays in both matinees and evening shows and there's the option of a pre-show buffet in the Playbill Dining Room before all performances.

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