The Curious Savage

‘The Curious Savage’ is a relatively unknown play written by John Patrick set in the pleasant surroundings of the ‘Cloisters’ a sanatorium in Massachusetts for people suffering from mental illness or delusion perceived to be unacceptable in polite society.  It was written in 1950, so consequently highlights the way people were treated then as opposed to how mental health is treated now.  The director of the play, Anna-Maria Vesey, had herself appeared in a production of the play and was eager to stage her own interpretation for Horncastle Theatre Company and it is apparent what a true labour of love this has been for her.

The play addresses many important issues regarding mental health and people’s attitude towards it and questions the hypocrisy and vanity of public figures contrasted with the loyalty and love displayed by people society condemns and views as ‘mad.’ 

Our story begins with the five residents of ‘Cloisters’ eagerly awaiting the arrival of a new patient.  We meet Fairy-May (Sophie Campbell) an intense, child-like young woman (barefoot, wearing glasses and with her hair in bunches) intently staring out of the window watching fireflies in the garden, Florence (Alice Davey) a maternal woman studiously sewing, Hannibal (Jonathan Cooke) cradling a violin and Jeff (Tadhg Davey) who is self-consciously shielding his face with his hand.  All the residents are dressed in nightclothes.  Miss Wilhelmena, the nurse enters (Natasha Lowes) informing them all that it is lights out and time for bed. 

Like naughty school children they bicker and argue with Miss ‘Willey’ as they are curious to see who this new person could be.  Another character enters, Mrs Paddy (Jo Stone) and here we see some indication of why they are in the sanatorium.  Mrs Paddy switches the light on and off and then relates, in a flat monotone, a string of things she hates.  More clues emerge.  Fairy-May tells a tall story about being stolen by gypsies.  We notice a red shoe balanced precariously on top of an easel and books dangling from strings. Picture frames stand proud of the wall and the walls are bizarrely angled - we seem to have entered some topsy-turvey Alice in Wonderland world.

Soon the relatives arrive revealing themselves to be the stepchildren of the mysterious new resident; Samuel Savage a banana munching Judge (Dave Eldridge), Titus Savage, an arrogant US senator (Mark Emmerson) and the elegant Lily-Belle Savage draped in furs and diamonds (Marie Holmes).  They are keen to admit their stepmother to the ‘Cloisters’.  Their millionaire father has recently died, and their stepmother has been exhibiting some very strange quirks.   Finally, we meet the ‘curious savage’ herself – Ethel P Savage (Sheena Liversidge), a wealthy widow, clad in a long green coat, feathered hat and carrying a large yellow teddy bear. Dr Emmett (Chris Liversidge) converses with the stepchildren regarding their mother who has been spending their inheritance in a very bizarre way.  Mrs Savage does seem at first glance to be every bit as delusional as they insist, she is.  Her hair is a virulent bright blue and when asked to sit down she perches on top of the sofa.  

Once alone, Mrs Savage meets the eager residents who have been listening in through the door.  They are overjoyed to meet her and listen intently as Mrs Savage tells them about her husband’s memorial fund that she has been using to make people’s dreams come true, and her desire to be an actress.  Mrs Savage tells them she sleeps with her bear and has even taken it to the opera!

We quickly realise that Mrs Savage has dedicated her life to her husband and stepchildren and has consequently been denied her own needs.  Now he is dead, she is going to live her life how she wants to and use her inheritance money to set up the memorial fund. 

The next day, more personal quirks of the residents become apparent and the trauma that has caused their personal delusions.  Fairy-May is very needy with extreme mood swings who believes herself to be beautiful, Hannibal. who lost his job as a statistician replaced by a calculator, believes himself to be a brilliant violinist, Jeff covers his face as he believes himself to be hideously scarred as a result of survival guilt over a plane crash that killed all his crew, Florence carries around a doll which she is paranoid about losing and talks to it as if it were a real child, a result of losing her own son to measles, and Mrs Paddy was told to shut up by her husband and has never spoken since save to reel off her ever growing list of hates.  She also paints seascapes that are simplistic in style.

Mrs Savage quickly realises that these people have become institutionalised as they have no where else to go.  Society has rejected them and the four walls of the sanatorium, and its rigid routines, are what keeps them functioning. She feels an instant affinity with them all and never challenges their personal delusions as this could shatter their fragile well-being.

The wealthy Mrs Savage, however, is certainly not insane but is using her acting skills to convince her greedy stepchildren that she is.  She is desperate to receive the morning’s newspapers much to the horror of the residents who cannot cope with the trauma of the real world.  Mrs Savage has a secret – she has taken all the money and hidden it in untraceable bonds.  

In a delightful scene, the mischievous Mrs Savage gleefully plays each sibling against the other.  She appeals to their personal greed and sends each of them on a different quest to find the missing millions.  A wild goose chase that, because of their actions, humiliates each of them in the newspapers.  They become increasingly angry and frustrated in comparison to Mrs Savage who is calm and unflappable.   Mrs Savage knows that these selfish grown-up stepchildren would simply squander all the money, so she has taken steps to ensure that that does not happen by pretending to be deluded as a form of revenge on this ungrateful brood.  

However, Mrs Savage has not reckoned with the manipulative, Lily-Belle who has quickly realised that questioning is pointless and so she adopts another method – a truth drug which will ensure that Mrs Savage will be powerless to continue to deceive and trick them.  Will Mrs Savage reveal the whereabouts of the missing millions?  Will she be condemned to reside at ‘Cloisters’ forever and what is the significance of the teddy bear?

All the characters played their parts wonderfully in telling this very powerful story.  Special mention to Sophie Campbell, who was pitch perfect as the ditzy but very intense Fairy-May.   With strong elements of Alice Tinker from The Vicar of Dibley she weaved her fantasy world around the residents while swinging through moods like a pendulum and stomping around like a petulant toddler.   Jonathan Cooke was excellent as Hannibal the deluded violinist teetering on the edge of his delusion his brain filled with endless facts and figures.  I particularly liked the scene where he flicked endless rounds of playing cards at the bemused Lily-Belle.  Jo Stone was hilarious as the taciturn dead-pan Mrs Paddy endlessly reciting her lists in alphabetical order.  The stepchildren were totally odious as they went from calm-collected faux concern for their stepmother put in the sanatorium for her ‘own good’ to mania and delusion fuelled by their individual greed and one-upmanship to get their hands on the money first. Natasha Lowes played Miss Willie with compassion whilst nursing a deep heartbreaking secret of her own.  Alice Davey as Florence and Tadhg Davey as Jeff played their parts beautifully demonstrating their inner trauma caused by grief and guilt.

Finally, Mrs Ethel P Savage herself, Sheena Liversedge gave a truly wonderful performance executed with great skill never once going over the top in her delivery.  Sheena played Mrs Savage with a mischievous glint in her eyes as she mercilessly lampooned her appalling inherited offspring.  She even bit Lily-Belle as revenge for being bitten by her when she was a child.  Her understanding and compassion for the residents was lovely.

The set was stunning and wonderfully observed with little quirks for us to spot like a puzzle slowly unfolding.  Good use was made of the French windows and two doors as entrances and exits.  One hilarious scene featured Mrs Savage informing the residents to save on carpet wear and tear resulting in them going around the settee following behind each other in joyful circles.   The final scene where Mrs Savage has a vision of the residents fulfilled and happy was truly incredible as the whole set warped and twisted, panels spinning to reveal the whole set through their eyes.   

Well done to director Anna-Marie on her directorial debut, Assistant Director Jane Whitlock and a talented team of creatives for producing an enpowering story told with compassion and empathy.  Through her deft directing, we never once mock the residents despite their obvious delusions but saw them as the contrast to the avarice and pomposity of the siblings and their vile cruelty to the woman who had nurtured them from children, showing who the truly ‘mad savages’ really were. 

Thank you for another warm welcome. It was lovely to meet Anna-Marie and chat to her about her ideas, and meet some of the cast members after the show.  I am also delighted to confirm that your show programme, designed by Dom Hinkins, has qualified for entry into the programme and poster competition Well done to all!

 

 

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