By Lauren Zazzara
Features Editor
Ed. Simone, Ph.D, filled the Garret Theater with the holiday spirit on Saturday with his one-man show of Charles’ Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.
A Christmas Carol revolves around Ebeneezer Scrooge, a grumpy and greedy old man with a penchant for the phrase “Bah Humbug!” and a hatred of Christmas. Because of this, Scrooge is haunted by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. These visitations fill him with regret for what he has done to others and with the fear of dying alone. By the end of the story, he is reignited with love and compassion for all.
Simone, director of Bonaventure’s theater program, entered the stage in a simple suit, radiating to the audience in a simple pool of light.
He immediately entered character without addressing the audience. There was a script on a podium, but he didn’t look at it for quite a few minutes into the performance, and he hardly glanced at it throughout the 90-minute show.
The story involves a variety of characters, and Simone transitioned flawlessly from one to the next. He read the narration in his normal voice, but for Scrooge, he used a deep growl, scrunched-up face and trembling hands, clearly reflecting the frailty of an angry, old man.
One of the most poignant points of the play came when Scrooge saw the ghost of his dead business partner Jacob Marley outside his door. As Scrooge, Simone screamed, “I know him! Marley’s ghost!” with shocking fervor.
The use of bells in the play added a haunting effect. When the ghost of Christmas future shows Scrooge his own grave, a toll of bells rings as Scrooge realizes he will die alone. He cries out in agony, creating an incredibly powerful moment.
Simone’s use of hand gestures and facial expressions to produce emotion and create the characters showed his finesse as an actor. The fact that he could switch between so many characters and barely look at his script emphasized the passion he had for The Warming House and the work he put into it. He was applauded heartily by an impressed audience that no doubt felt a bit more ready for Christmas as they left the theater.
The performance raised $705. The money will be donated to the Warming House in Olean, America’s oldest student-run soup kitchen.
zazzarlm13@bonaventure.edu
