The Curious Savage
at Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School

Reviewed on December 3, 2016

Anna Merrill
Teens and Theatre Company
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

Is anybody truly sane, or are we all living within our own delusions? This is the question at the center of "The Curious Savage", a quick-witted comedy that also presents probing existential dilemmas.

The cast and crew of Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School entranced their audience this past weekend with their confidence, charm, and skill in this production. Written by American playwright John Patrick, "The Curious Savage" was written in the 1950s and set in its contemporary era.

The three-act play follows the predicament of the Savages, a wealthy family that is being torn apart by their own prosperity. Ethel Savage (Mary Wright), has recently lost her husband, who left behind a staggering inheritance of $10 million. Her greedy stepchildren wrongfully commit her to a mental institution called The Cloisters so that they can keep the prosperity to themselves. Before they can claim the inheritance, Ethel hides the money to protect it from their grasping hands. However, once Ethel meets her new neighbors, she begins to wonder whether her own family is any saner than the supposed misfits.

Comedic timing is a must for the devious Ethel Savage, and Mary Wright's performance was both entertaining and impressive. Wright used a wide variety of amusing facial expressions and tones of voice, making her character both exaggerated and believable. Not only did she elicit some uproarious laughs from the audience, she also made Mrs. Savage a surprisingly sympathetic character.

Another standout was Sophia Barrick, who played the manic but lovable Fairy May. Barrick captured both the innocence and anxiety of her character, which was conveyed in her childlike tone and excited hand gestures. Mairin McNulty was an audience favorite, playing the ornery Mrs. Paddy. Her hunched-over posture and sullen facial expressions always got a good laugh out of the crowd.

The actors' performances were beautifully accentuated by the set and props, which helped cement the atmosphere even further. The play is set exclusively inside the living room of The Cloisters, which was brought to life with warm yellow walls and vibrant furniture. The details of the set, such as the old wooden piano in the corner, the colorful rug and the beat-up Parcheesi board on the bookshelf, created an environment that felt cozy but also clinical.

In a play that exaggerates human attributes to the extreme, it would have been all too easy for the actors to give one-dimensional performances, relying on the witty writing and absurd nature of the characters. However, they exhibited impressive emotional sensitivity and understanding to the nature of the play, performing it exactly how John Patrick intended- "with warmth and dignity".

Overall, Saint John Paul The Great Catholic High School executed a highly impressive performance. "The Curious Savage" was not only quick-witted and funny, but surprisingly uplifting. The cast did not just perform; they took the audience on a thought-provoking journey. When the lights came back up, perhaps it was not just Mrs. Savage who had changed- it was as if the audience changed, too.

Kaylee Guthrie
Teens and Theatre Company
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

When people think of sanatoriums for the mentally impaired, quirky light-hearted comedy is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Yet, that is the tone of "The Curious Savage," a play splendidly performed by St. John Paul the Great Catholic High School.

In this play, written and set in the 1950s by John Patrick, eccentric widow Ethel Savage inherits ten million dollars from her late husband. However, her greedy stepchildren commit Ethel Savage to the Cloisters sanatorium to gain that money for themselves, not knowing that Mrs. Savage has already hidden the money away.

St. John Paul cleverly balanced humor and heart, drawing the audience into the living room of the Cloisters and into the lives of the various kind but kooky characters who live there. The audience was captivated by the role each character had to play, and the humor was received well, with much laughter resounding in the theater.

Mary Wright shined as the blue-haired Mrs. Savage, and her wide range of expressions while delivering witty jabs kept the audience laughing. Her hi-jinks and mischievousness were endearing, and the actress filled the role well.

Some of the supporting actors went a bit over-the-top in their exaggerated expressions, but overall, they brought the audience into the story. Sophia Barrick's quirky mannerisms as Fairy May captured her character's innocence and vanity, and Mairin McNulty vividly portrayed Mrs. Paddy's silent crankiness with nothing more than an eye roll and a scowl. Lily Belle Savage, the Savage stepdaughter played by Jasmine Pierce, showed off her malicious nastiness with haughty sneers and raised eyebrows.

At a few points, it was hard to understand what some of the players were saying, but generally, the actors enunciated clearly and projected well. The brightly colored dresses, orange couch and broken radio each set the tone and setting appropriate for the 50s. Even small details, such as the sound of an antique car horn, solidified the sense of the period.

Every character in the Cloister is friendly and warm to Mrs. Savage, if not totally rational. But the Savage stepchildren quickly spiral into frantic fervor as they attempt to take their stepmother's vast wealth. By the end, the audience and Mrs. Savage are left to consider who is truly insane, the peculiar occupants of the Cloisters or the desperate conniving Savage stepchildren.

Emma Merrill
Teens and Theatre Company
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

"Nothing makes the truth so shabby as a magnificent lie." This quote from John Patrick's delightful 1950s play The Curious Savage perfectly describes the wondrous atmosphere created by the actors of Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School.

The Curious Savage tells us the story of Mrs. Ethel P. Savage, the widow of a millionaire, who has been committed to a sanatorium known as The Cloisters by her three stepchildren. They want her money for themselves, which leads them to commit her. Upon her arrival, she meets the patients of the Cloisters and discovers each of their quirks. We then learn that before her commitment, she converted her whole fortune into paper bonds and squirreled them away. The play then focuses on her children's frantic search to find the money.

Mary Wright's performance as Mrs. Savage was impactful. She perfectly embodied the seemingly dotty old matriarch while still keeping an air of knowledge about her. She kept the audience's eyes on her with hilarious facial expressions, and always stayed in character. Her interactions with each of the Cloisters patients felt real, and not for one moment did it feel like she was patronizing any of them. When it came to her stepchildren, however, she did not resist being condescending, making each moment when she outwitted them enjoyable.

The patients of the Cloisters were all well-acted and played with the ‘warmth and dignity' requested by the playwright. Florence (Brigit O'Malley), a motherly woman doting on a doll whom she believes to be her dead son. O'Malley played the character with the poise befitting a 1950s housewife. Hannibal (Sebastian Stanton), a statistician who believes he is an accomplished violin player. Stanton made Hannibal's quirks seem believable. Fairy May (Sophia Barrick), a flighty young woman who lives in a fantasy world that she often cannot tell from reality. Barrick did an amazing job of portraying Fairy with a childlike innocence befitting the character. Jeffrey (Joseph Litzinger), a WWII veteran and former concert pianist who thinks that he is horrifically scarred. Litzinger played his character with a quiet seriousness. Lastly, Miss Paddy (Mairin McNulty), an artist and selective mute who only speaks to list the things that she hates. McNulty was limited by her character's muteness but still gave a laugh-inducing performance through the use of facial expressions and gestures. All of the actors' performances fit together seamlessly, and they created a familial feeling within the Cloisters.

The other main group of characters was Mrs. Savage's stepchildren, Titus, Lily Belle, and Samuel. Titus was an angry senator, Lilly Belle was a spoiled heiress, and Samuel was a timid judge who often bowed to the will of his siblings. The three actors functioned wonderfully as a unit and brought a sense of chaos to the calm sanatorium. In the end, the audience was left questioning which group was really the crazy one.

The tech did a good job of enhancing the actors' performances. The set was completely student built and gave a homely and clinical atmosphere to the Cloisters. The patients were all dressed in vibrant colors, where the children were dressed monochromatically, making the difference between the two groups even more striking.

Overall, the performance put on by the students of John Paul was an incredibly fun and impactful one. The moment in the play that impacted me the most was at the very end when Mrs. Savage is leaving the Cloisters. In that moment, she sees each patient as they see themselves, making one wonder: What ‘quirks' do I have that prevent me from seeing reality?

Nick Geier
Teens and Theatre Company
Submitted for publication to Prince William Times

Take a homey mental health clinic, an aloof elderly woman, a trio of skeptical step children and what do you get? John Patrick's Curious Savage performed by Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School, of course!

Taking place in the 1950's, this play portrays the importance of friendship rather than money. Mrs. Savage (Mary Wright) is an old widow who, after her husband died, desires to spend her fortune, all $10 million of it, on her husband's memorial fund. Combined with the fact that she desires to become an actress in her old age, her three step children, Titus (Ian McGinnis), Lily Belle (Jasmine Pierce), and Samuel (David Treanor) place her in a mental health clinic where she meets four other patients who are seen as social outcasts by the rest of the world. She looks through their differences and ends up desiring the contentment they attributed instead of the family's fortune.

Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School provided great entertainment through their fantastic portrayal of this outrageous comedy. With their upbeat energy and slapstick humor, the cast kept the audience in constant amusement. Throughout the show, the cast continued to incorporate and work with each other making the audience feel as if every character worked together as a whole.

The lead actor, Mary Wright, did a fantastic job of making her character, Mrs. Savage, believable and lovable. Through over-the-top gestures and facial expressions, she remained consistent, giving the audience an appreciation of who The Curious Save truly was.

What really stole the show was how the major differences were portrayed between the patients and the step-children. While the step-children were humorously gruff and demanding of their mother, the patients balanced them nicely with their upbeat and friendly nature that later influenced the actions of Mrs. Savage.

The costumes and sounds, such as the ringing of a wired telephone or the honking of an old automobile, brought the whole play together by making it actually seem as if the scenes were taking place in the era of the 1950's. The costume crew also did an excellent job of showing the contrast between the characteristics of the children and the patients. While the children wore dark suits and dresses, demonstrating their demanding and angry behavior, the patients wore simple but colorful clothes that only made their characters more believable.

The Curious Savage was well-performed by the cast of Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School, portraying both the power of friendships and why this fortune is much greater than any sum of money.

Celia Konowe
South Lakes High School
Submitted for publication to The Catholic Herald

When the witty Ethel Savage is unwillingly placed into a sanatorium by her greedy stepchildren, she discovers a group of kind-hearted friends who challenge the vices of society and its definition of sanity in Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School's The Curious Savage.

Written by John Patrick, this comedic stage production takes place in the 1950s and follows Ethel Savage, an elderly woman who has been widowed by her husband and left ten million dollars. After entering the Cloisters, the name of the asylum, her children attempt to steal her money, only to be defended by the loyal patients who contrast sharply with the vane children and hateful world outside.

The actors presented their roles with full commitment to the characters, remaining engaged throughout the show. Mary Wright (Ethel) made seamless transitions between her gentleness with the patients and her harsh dislike of her children. Her charismatic approach to the delusions of those around her broke the barrier between the patients and the outsiders. Her three children, Titus (Ian McGinnis), Lily Belle (Jasmine Pierce), and Samuel (David Treanor), worked together cohesively as a unit, creating an impressive force of opposition to Ethel as they schemed for her money.

The patients at the Cloisters were equally strong as an ensemble, interacting easily within and demonstrating to the audience their tight-knit relationships. Sophia Barrick portrayed the love-seeking Fairy May, sparking bursts of laughter from the house with her sweetly-delivered jokes; Brigit O'Malley (Florence) portrayed the loving "mother" of the group with her care for others and tremulous smile; Sebastian Stanton (Hannibal) brought forth chuckles with his quirky violin recitals; Joseph Litzinger (Jeffrey) was perfect as the timid and delusional former-pilot; and Mairin McNulty (Mrs. Paddy) was an audience favorite with her impressive physical portrayal of the grumpy old lady and her seemingly random rants about everything she hated. Additionally, enjoyable performances were those of Miss Wilhelmina (Grace Stanton), the gentle nurse who always put others first, and Dr. Emmett (Liam Brennan), the doctor at the sanatorium who was the voice of reason among the patients.

Costumes that perfectly fit the '50s not only reflected each character's personality, but created visual contrast between the colorful patients and the dour Savage children. While the hair mirrored the time period and each character's identity, some additional makeup could have done the same.

Despite occasional projection and diction inconsistencies, all the jokes were understood, maintaining the hilarity of the production. While all actors were visible onstage, some light cues didn't seem to match the action and emotions presented in a given scene. A simple, yet effective set adorned the stage and transported the story back in time with its attention to detail, as time period props enhanced the storyline, like the teddy bear that Ethel carries around.

Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School presented an entertaining comedy that helped the audience accept the patients in their own realities with an open-mindness that is hard to come by and created juxtaposition between those who are viewed as insane and those who truly are.

Grace Cahoon
South Lakes High School
Submitted for publication to Lorton Valley Star

Eccentricity and squeaky violins: why, it could only be found in Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School's production of The Curious Savage! When Ethel Savage is admitted into The Cloister's sanatorium, she meets the five patients she would be spending the next few days with, each with their own quirk about them. While many outsiders view the patients as odd, Mrs. Savage sees them for who they truly are, making this story all the more heartwarming.


With a simple, yet highly functional set, the cast of The Curious Savage was able to work as a unit, making quick quips off of one another, earning them huge laughs from the audience. Their time-period-appropriate, brightly colored costumes, as well as their equally fitting hairstyles, made the audience truly feel as if they were in the 1950's again. Additionally, a well-dressed set, adorned with impressive and unique props contributed to the wackiness of the show.


Ethel Savage, played by Mary Wright, was captivatingly kooky, blue hair and all. Her character was consistent throughout the entire show, being energetic during the hilarious scenes, and pensive and considerate during the show's last scene, a poignant part in the play in which Mrs. Savage finally leaves the sanatorium. Despite low energy from the other characters, Wright was able to maintain Savage's quirkiness, keeping the show upbeat.


Mairin McNulty, the actress behind the hateful, yet endearing Mrs. Paddy, was excellent in her portrayal of a peculiar painter, involving herself in all the scenes, despite having few lines. Of her few lines, McNulty was impeccable in her comedic timing, always lending herself to big-time laughs from the audience, especially during the character's hateful-yet-hilarious rants. Her old-age makeup and purposefully messy hair truly helped McNulty capture the essence of Mrs. Paddy, only adding to her well done, consistent characterization of the role.


While other characters fell short due to under, and often times overacting, the show carried on seamlessly, with each actor flowing naturally across the stage. Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School's The Curious Savage was certainly not one to miss, and we certainly won't say "goodbye" to this charming, absurd show.