Theater Review: The Curious Savage

Earlier this month, the Cumberland University Phoenix Players put on an enjoyable production of The Curious Savage at the the CU's Heydel Fine Arts Center.

Written by John Patrick, the play follows Mrs. Savage (played by CJ Shandor), an eccentric widow placed in a sanatorium by her uptight stepchildren Lilly Belle, Samantha, and Titus (played by Ellie Johnson, Morgan Ford, and Nathan Basner respectively).

She sends them on a wild goose chase to find her extravagant inheritance, all while making unlikely friends in the outcasts of the madhouse. She rediscovers the power of compassion within her found family in a world full of deceit and greed. With entertaining performances by Nathan Basner and Aaron Branham as Hannibal, The Curious Savage was a wholesome farewell to those students graduating in May. The set and the costumes were colorful and homely, adding emphasis to the quirky characters on stage and doing a fine job of evoking the culture in the 1950s, when the play is set. Directed by Theatre Instructor Chris Byrd, The Curious Savage was a charismatic addition to the Theater Department’s impressive record.