SHS drama presents not-so-typical savagery

Sabrina Kooistra
Times Junior Reporter

 

Strathmore High School’s (SHS) rendition of The Curious Savage, by John Patrick, is set to take the stage later this month with scenes to interest all those intrigued by both mystery and comedy.
Mrs. Savage, enacted by Grade 12 student Mackenzie Bobee, has been left $10 million by her husband and wishes to make the very best use of it. When Mrs. Savage is unwilling to share the money with her greed-driven stepchildren, they admit her to a sanitarium in an effort to bring her to her senses.
The mentally sound Mrs. Savage decides to establish a fund to encourage and assist people in reaching their hopes and dreams, and is motivated by the many socially unfit patients who would benefit from her aid.
After befriending many of them, Mrs. Savage vows to remain as one of the patients for the rest of her life, but she is later sent out into the materialistic and dishonest world which has become very unfamiliar to her. Upon her emergence into the outside world, Mrs. Savage’s stepchildren begin to relentlessly bully her once again. She perseveres despite the pressure, but her sanitarium friends vow to rid Mrs. Savage of the selfish children.
Ultimately, with the kindness of Mrs. Savage, many of the patients realize dreams they never realized they had, leaving the impression that despite the inherent selfishness of the world, love and kindness are not lost.
In spite of the 15 to 35-year age difference that the Drama 20, 30 and 35A students have been tasked with, director and teacher Paula Richardson is impressed with the students’ portrayal of such mature characters. Despite the disparity in age, the students have all brought a youthful flare to the play, and in her words, “a lot of energy and fun to that crazy world.”
The road to the stage has not been entirely easy, though, as students were posed with the challenge of polishing both their complex and curious roles.
“All of the characters have so many layers … it was hard to get them to all come out in a realistic way on stage,” said Bobee. “We have worked exceedingly hard on that and I think it has come through wonderfully.”
This presentation of The Curious Savage has allowed the students to grow, and Richardson is confident in the actors’ and actress’ ability to execute the play with honesty, rather than shocking theatrics.
“The messages in it are actually something that this generation believes in … that relationships and what you do with your life are more important than the money itself,” she said. “This play brings back the hopefulness that not all mankind is lost to greed and meanness.”
Please support SHS’s drama students on Nov. 28, 29, 30 and Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased at the door or by calling the school at 403-934-3135.