"The Curious Savage" - by John Patrick - Theatre Of Northeastern Connecticut, Inc. at the Bradley Playhouse (Putnam, CT) - REVIEW
(Cover Photo: Julianne McGourty as “Florence” with Jack Drowne as "John Thomas" in a scene from "THE CURIOUS SAVAGE" by John Patrick, now playing at the Bradley Playhouse in Putnam, CT. through February 2, 2025. Photo Courtesy Bradley Playhouse)
By Kevin T. Baldwin
METRMAG Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
“People say 'I love you' all the time - when they say, ‘take an umbrella, it’s raining,’ or ‘hurry back,’ or even ‘watch out, you’ll break your neck.’ There are hundreds of ways of wording it - you just have to listen for it, my dear.”
- ("Mrs. Ethel P. Savage") / John Patrick
Theatre Of Northeastern Connecticut, Inc.
at the Bradley Playhouse
Presents John Patrick's
"THE CURIOUS SAVAGE"
Written by John Patrick
Directed by Bill Corriveau
Assistant Director Jordan Miller
Stage Manager Natalie Crino
Cast Includes: Sheila Harrington-Hughes as “Mrs. Ethel P. Savage,” Julianne McGourty as “Florence,” Joel Michael as “Hannibal,” Laura O’Brien as “Fairy May,” Stephen Clarke as “Jeffrey,” Pam Kerouack as “Mrs. Paddy,” Carl R. Mercier as “Titus,” Tara Golson as “Lily Belle,” Jordan Miller as “Samuel,” Margaret McLoughlin as “Miss Willie,” Tom Goodin as “Dr. Emmett,” Jack Drowne as “John Thomas.”
Additional Creative Team:
Artistic Committee Liaison – Kathleen Atwood; Production Manager – Jeanne Foley; Production Coordinator – Kathleen Atwood; Set Design – William Corriveau; Set Artists – Diana Lee, Maria Bessette, Amanda Bessette, Sandy Lazarou, Jasmine Gervais; Costumer – Paisley Gothreau; Hair and Makeup – Rebecca Theriaque; Props – Bonnie Theriault, Melinda Collelo; Lighting Design – William Corriveau, Carl Mercier; Sound Design – Seth Crino; Lighting Operator – David Abbamonte; Sound Operator – Seth Crino; Set Construction – William Corriveau, Carl Mercier, Jordan Miller, Tom Goodin, Pam Kerouack, Nora Miller; Photography – Alan Marcus; Volunteer Coordinator – Cindy Beckman; Marketing Coordinator – Kendra Malizia; Digital Program – Cindy Beckman; Theatre Operations Coordinator – Amy Stoelzel.
Performances:
January 24, 2025 through February 2, 2025
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
THE BRADLEY PLAYHOUSE, 30 Front Street (Route 44) in Putnam, CT. 06260-1942
TICKETS:
All seats reserved. Reservations may be made with a major credit card online at www.thebradleyplayhouse.org or by calling 860-928-7887.
BUY TICKETS
COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
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The Theatre of Northeastern Connecticut at the Bradley Playhouse (TNECT) presents John Patrick's wonderfully funny and occasionally poignant comedy, "THE CURIOUS SAVAGE."
The collective performances and overall approach taken by the TNECT creative team makes this one show you should not want to miss.
The TNECT production has been expertly staged by Director William Corriveau along with Assistant Director Jordan Miller.
"THE CURIOUS SAVAGE" revolves around new sanitorium resident patient Mrs. Ethel P. Savage (Sheila Harrington-Hughes), a senior citizen whose husband recently died and left her approximately ten million dollars.
(Editor's Note: In the script, Ethel is referred to simply as "Mrs. Savage")
"THE CURIOUS SAVAGE" debuted in New York in 1950 with famed Golden age screen actress Lillian Gish playing the role of “Ethel P. Savage.”
You may ask: "What does the 'P' stand for?"
Yeah - nobody knows.
Harrington-Hughes is thoroughly delightful as Mrs. Savage, portraying her as clever eccentric who, in addition to having a guarded, caustic wit, is also equally sympathetic and kind.
The money Mrs. Savage has inherited from her late husband she keeps hidden from her greedy stepchildren in effort to provide for those less fortunate or to fulfill the imperative life goals of those far more worthy.
Mrs. Savage uses some of the money on some odd investments, including an effort to begin a rather mediocre theatrical career.
That, in itself, is not enough to warrant her commitment, but her greedy step-children, Titus (Carl R. Mercier), Lily Belle (Tara Golson), and Samuel (Jordan Miller), all want to assume control of the money and, because of Mrs. Savage's unusual spending habits, they are fearful there will be nothing left of the money for them.
So, the avaricious trio commits her to a sanatorium named “The Cloisters,” in effort to “bring her to her senses.”
Mrs. Savage disapproves of her stepchildren, but quickly grows fond of each of her fellow residents of The Cloisters.
Mrs. Savage accepts them for who they are as individuals, looking past their otherwise obvious personal mental health issues.
(Photo: Julianne McGourty as “Florence” with Jack Drowne as "John Thomas" in a scene from "THE CURIOUS SAVAGE" by John Patrick, now playing at the Bradley Playhouse in Putnam, CT. through February 2, 2025. Photo Courtesy Bradley Playhouse)
If one were to examine John Patrick’s 1950 three-act play "THE CURIOUS SAVAGE" (presented here in two acts) with a more modern 2025 mental healthcare lens, some of the "patient/resident" character presentations might come across as questionable to say the least.
However, thanks to Patrick’s compassionate look at these characters (again, in a play written 75 years ago), his sensitively written dialogue (and thanks to the portrayals by each member of the cast), we view them less as antediluvian, two-dimensional “nutty” stereotypes and more as full human beings with backstories to help explain each of their respective mental health issues.
Under the sympathetic approach taken by Corriveau, the entire TNECT creative team and cast, their own realities and delusions are looked at with tolerance and compassion.
“But where is the money?” is the question everyone wants answered from Mrs. Savage, especially her greedy, self-absorbed adult children.
Senator Titus (Carl R. Mercier) is Mrs. Savage’s eldest stepson and least liked senator in congress (which today selecting one would be a tough call).
Mercier is terrific in nearly every scene as the frustrated, humorless and merciless Titus.
Socialite Lily Belle (Tara Golson) is Mrs. Savage's middle stepchild who has lived most of her life as a serial bride.
Married multiple times, Lily Belle sees herself as an heiress.
Golson is always fun to watch as she presents Lily Belle as arrogant, selfish, self-absorbed, obnoxious and vicious.
Mrs. Savage's youngest stepchild, Samuel (Jordan Miller), is a judge...a really bad judge, according to his court records for decisions being overturned.
Miller gives a fine performance as Samuel, yet is featured less prominently in the story (almost giving the impression that Samuel was an extraneous character as written, thus having less impact than his siblings).
The single set design was both efficient and extremely detailed, well utilizing the entire Bradley Playhouse stage space; and costumes for the show were all conducive to the time period in which the show takes place.
Apparent sound issues were noticeable at the January 24th performance, but to their credit the cast continued undeterred by this problem and never dropped the ball for an instant.
(Photo: Carl R. Mercier as “Titus” with Jordan Miller as “Samuel” in a scene from "THE CURIOUS SAVAGE" by John Patrick, now playing at the Bradley Playhouse in Putnam, CT. through February 2, 2025. Photo Courtesy Bradley Playhouse)
As the play opens, and before Mrs. Savage’s arrival, we meet her fellow five residents of The Cloisters, a sanitorium located (somewhere) in Massachusetts.
For the most part, each of these “residents” seems to function normally, but soon each one displays their unusual and undeniable eccentricity to Ethel.
Patrick stated the following in the foreword to his play:
"It is important in 'THE CURIOUS SAVAGE' that the gentle inmates of The Cloisters be played with warmth and dignity. Their home is not an asylum nor are these good people lunatics. Any exaggeration of the roles will rob them of charm and humor. The whole point of the play is to contrast them with Mrs. Savage's children and the insane outside world. To depart from this point of view for the sake of easy laughs will rob the play of its meaning."
Each of the TNECT cast seems to have taken the above to heart, giving insightful portrayals of these people.
Florence (Julianne McGourty) appears as a “Donna Reed-type” at The Cloisters, being a mother figure to the others, all while pampering a little male doll as if it were her own son (who died at infancy).
Later, in a brief, touching moment of recall, we actually get to meet her son, John Thomas (Jack Drowne).
McGourty is absolutely outstanding as the refined "mother" of the other residents of The Cloisters.
Even at times when not featured prominently in a scene, and without serving to distract focus, her complete dedication as a “devoted mother to her son” is unrelenting.
Fairy May (Laura O’Brien) is outgoing, brash and fearless – but, she also cannot decipher fantasy from reality, making up various scenarios for herself, thus allowing her (in her imagination) to become more than what she is.
As Fairy, O’Brien is fabulous, presenting Fairy as a childlike, compulsive liar who is obsessed with having others love her.
A former concert pianist and veteran military pilot, Jeffrey (Stephen Clarke) was shot down during the war, surviving a crash that killed all his men.
Clarke, provides a sensitive take on Jeff, who believes that he was horribly scarred in the war, even though he survived the plane crash unscathed.
(Photo: Laura O’Brien as “Fairy May” in a scene from "THE CURIOUS SAVAGE" by John Patrick, now playing at the Bradley Playhouse in Putnam, CT. through February 2, 2025. Photo Courtesy Bradley Playhouse)
Mrs. Savage also meets Hannibal (Joel Michael), who was once a statistician before being terminated by his employer (and subsequently replaced by an electronic calculator).
Michael gives a memorable performance as the (otherwise) brilliant and kind Hannibal, who believes himself to be an accomplished concert violinist, although he cannot actually play the violin.
Finally, Mrs. Savage encounters the turbulent Mrs. Paddy (Pam Kerouack) who paints to pass the time and who has given up electricity for Lent.
Kerouack provides a multi-layered take on the fiery Mrs. Paddy who, after a tumultuous marriage, now rarely speaks except to shout out her bizarre (but concise) list of things she hates.
The staff at The Cloisters includes the kindly Dr. Emmett (Tom Goodin) who strives to help his patients; and Miss "Willie" Wilhelmina (Margaret McLoughlin) his administrative assistant and nurse.
Both Goodin and McLoughlin approach their roles as the supportive medical professionals as only seeking the best for their patients but, with Mrs. Savage, are having their ethics challenged by Mrs. Savage's ruthless stepchildren.
On the basis of her "eccentric" behavior (such as taking up acting and the goals of her fund) the children had Mrs. Savage committed to The Cloisters so that they could take the money from her.
When the stepchildren arrive, they attempt to pry from Mrs. Savage the hidden location of the Savage fortune, and where the mayhem begins...for them.
The trio of step siblings soon finds out...you just don't try to double-cross stepmom.
Although "THE CURIOUS SAVAGE" is definitely a comedy, Patrick’s writing also shows us what a “family” truly looks like - at least in the case of Mrs. Savage and her relationship to The Cloister residents vs. her own stepchildren.
"THE CURIOUS SAVAGE" continues at the Bradley Playhouse in Putnam, CT. until February 2nd and is definitely well worth seeing.
Coming up next from TNECT at the Bradley Playhouse will be “THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK" beginning April 25th and running through May 11th, 2025.
For tickets and more information, visit www.thebradleyplayhouse.org or call # 860-928-7887.
BUY TICKETS
Approximately two hours, 30 minutes with one intermission
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
"THE CURIOUS SAVAGE," written by John Patrick, is a comedic play about wealthy widow Ethel Savage who wishes to set up a fund to give away her husband’s fortune to people who want to follow their dreams, foolish though they may appear.
In order to make her come to her senses, her small-minded and selfish children place her in The Cloisters, a comfortable and tasteful sanitarium.
The play features two parallel stories: a woman trying to get her family to rescind the order to be institutionalized, and the “social misfits” who are trying cope by creating a world of their own making.
ABOUT THE BRADLEY PLAYHOUSE
THE BRADLEY PLAYHOUSE is a 117 year-old vaudeville theatre in the heart of the Putnam antiques and restaurant district in the “Quiet Corner” of Northeastern Connecticut. Since 1991, THE BRADLEY PLAYHOUSE has been managed by the volunteers of The Theatre of Northeastern Connecticut, Inc. (TNECT). ABOUT THEATRE OF NORTHEASTERN CONNECTICUT (TNECT)TNECT produces eight main season shows per year and a number of special fundraising events for The Bradley Playhouse Restoration Fund. TNECT’s mission is to produce and sponsor quality theatre and entertainment for the residents of Northeastern Connecticut and the surrounding areas, to encourage the development of creativity through the support of local artists, and to support education and hands-on experience in the creation, direction, and production of theatre and the performing arts.
30 Front Street
P.O. Box # 71
Putnam, CT. 06260-1942
