For the last month I’ve dreaded having to review the Trinity College Drama Society’s production of Saints Alive. I hadn’t heard of the play before, and then when I Googled it, I came across a synopsis that stated the show was literally about two saints. I had a picture in my head that I’d be sitting through a two-hour religious revival, and days before the show, I begged numerous friends to come and see it with me in case I had no clue what was going on. But I found myself sitting in the George Ignatieff Theatre on Oct. 15, and lo and behold, I not only understood what was happening, I enjoyed it.
Saints Alive is a charming musical that looks into the traditions and tales of Trinity’s St. Gilda’s and Quinquagesima institutions. Set in the 1940s, St. Gilda’s girls are forced to earn not only their degrees in the Arts but hopefully also an Mrs. degree—that is, to make a fortunate marriage. But will any boy do? Of course not! Only the most irresistible, dashing, and refined chap, like Daphnis (played by charming British native, Will Jennings) will sweep these girls off their feet.
Trouble and comedy arrive when Daphnis himself becomes enamoured of new girl Chloe (Clara Rozee), a gun-toting, beer-drinking, vulgar-speaking tomboy from the north, who is only trying to emulate her mother, whom she never knew. Along with college romance, secrets are unlocked and schools are saved, allowing Saints Alive to end happily despite a confusing hour of in-between drama.
The cast showed promise, but the quick resolution of the locket storyline appeared rushed. While it fit the cliché that musicals will end happily despite an oppressive reality, Saints Alive’s conclusion came almost too suddenly and easily. By the time Chloe’s estranged father makes his appearance, along with the return of a dancing statue of Bishop Strachan, you can’t help but roll your eyes at the ridiculousness of the situation.
Many of the songs that the cast bellowed out in the small theatre were hilarious, such as a ballad with the lyric “If an oyster has a love life, then why shouldn’t I?” I immensely enjoyed the song “Between the Lamppost” when Daphnis and Chloe romantically unite for the first time. Both the male and female choruses performed well, in particular Christie Bates, who portrayed the stuffy Hester with a fantastic soprano voice. Mark Harris’s high falsetto notes were also worth hearing as he disguised himself as a girl in order to reconnect with the opposite sex. For the most part, the piano-played tunes were fun and catchy, but the preview to Act II was irritating to sit through. Though clearly buying time to allow for necessary costume and set changes, it was tiring hearing a synopsis of what we just saw.
The choreography stayed a bit too safe as most performers resorted to simple folk-dancing steps. Although the character of Louella added a sense of sass and a daring edge, the dancing simply wasn’t very impressive. Overall, stage presence was lacking, proven by the audience’s mixed responses at the end of each song. The interaction between the actors and the audience, though, provided a fun surprise. I was shocked and amused when halfway through her explanation of St. Gilda’s past, the character of Louella jumped onto my lap before jumping back up and storming the audience aisles.
The set, while simple, portrayed the grounds of University of Toronto very realistically. The backdrop painting of the George Ignatieff Theatre illustrated immense talent and created a crisp autumn atmosphere. However, the set crew appeared unprepared during the show, as they allowed curtains to drop sloppily and took far too long to plug in a lamp.
Trinity College students may have had an easier time understanding some of the jokes, such as the repeated, dramatic cries of “the MORTGAGE!” which resulted in laughter almost every time. As a University College student, I cannot say that the musical truly touched upon general University of Toronto humour, but I still caught myself laughing at remarks made about the TTC and other city elements.
As a whole, Saints Alive had a talented cast when it came to singing, but I wouldn’t recommend it as a must-see experience. Alumni from the ’40s may understand more of the story’s humour, but for my generation, this isn’t the best satire.
