Local actress comes with good tidings

The National Children’s Theatre’s latest production, A Seussified Christmas Carol promises to entertain the whole family with its wit and endearing storyline.

The play is described as the story of miserly Ebeneezer Scrooge. The Scrooge is mean and cold-hearted and makes no exceptions – even at Christmas time – until the ghost of his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley, comes to warn him about the ugliness of his greed.

Robin Hills resident, Jessica Foli stars in the play as the ghost of Christmas of present and various other characters in the show. She explained that she can relate to her character’s sense of joy and happiness.

“With all the characters I play, I aim to play them in such a way that I’m true to the intention of the scene rather than playing a variation of myself,” said Foli.

She said she hoped people would leave the play with a sense of happiness and joy, with the feeling that it’s never too late to make life changes for the better.

Foli revealed that seeing a production of Evita at a local theatre in Port Elizabeth years ago when she was in primary school, led her straight to acting.

“I was so inspired and, at that moment, I knew that I wanted to be in theatre.” She added that her much-loved profession has taught her discipline, dedication and respect for others.

The actress hopes that her work will inspire others to be true to the characters they play as she works to do the same through her characters. Some of her inspirations have been fellow entertainers, Robin Williams and Marlène Pieterse, choreographer Candice Johnstone and the many lectures at the Rhodes Drama Department.

“These people really influenced me professionally and I still draw on their teachings to this day,” she said.

Foli said what she loves most about the industry is that no job is ever the same as you are constantly growing and learning with each role. She advised that people should be open to learning and consistently work on their craft.

Some professional highlights at the children’s theatre have been her roles as a story lady, a wise tortoise and her role as a counsellor on the TV series, MTV Shuga.

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