Usually it's Santa making an appearance this time of year. But at the Blethering Place this month it will also be Ebenezer Scrooge. For the second year in a row, Oak Bay actor Jason Stevens will perform his one-man Christmas Carol at the Oak Bay Avenue restaurant.

"Simplicity is the thing that makes it work," says Stevens. In a 45-minute monologue he portrays 16 characters from the Charles Dickens story about a man who re-discovers his humanity at Christmas.

The challenge to putting on the one-man show is to make sure that, as an actor, he believes in the story as it is happening.

"If the story happens for you and you believe it yourself others will believe it," he says.

Stevens is a New York-trained actor who moved to Victoria four years ago with his Canadian wife and two children. He's worked the annual Fringe festival, as well the Titanic exhibit at the Royal BC Museum. His most recent work was in Theatre Inconnu's production of The Pillowman.

Dickens' writing is a genius piece of work that doesn't need to be fiddled with, he says. "If you can leave it alone, it'll do it by itself."

Last year, Stevens gave two performances at the Blethering Place. This year it's been bumped to three. Owner Ken Agate says the show has its own charm.

"It's the quintessential Christmas show," he says, adding that the restaurant lucked out after Stevens approached him to do the Carol.

"We took the risk and we won."

A Christmas Carol will run on Dec. 5, as well as Dec. 11 and 18. Dinner is included in the $19.95 ticket price.

vmoreau@saanichnews.com