Saw: The Musical is exactly how a musical adaptation of a film should be, fresh with its own flavor; proving that theater does not have to chase prestige to succeed. Instead of a play by play reenactment of the movie, the play takes comedic characters on a journey with a similar storyline (and pays homage to the notorious Jigsaw), using themes of queerness to spice up the absurdity. As one audience member perfectly summarized mid-show: “It’s so stupid. I love it.”
For the bulk of the runtime (a whopping just about 2.5 hours or so) the structure follows to men chained to opposite sides of the room. Their darkest secrets and sexuality shine with humor as the play moves along. The cast frequently breaks the fourth wall, but does so with intention and timing, creating a playful relationship with the audience rather than cheap winks. I really liked all of the actors, no notes. The three performers play multiple characters (for the most part) and I was pleased with how far these actors were able to take their roles. Fun effects were used and the first two rows were considered “splash zones”.
The piece often feels like a sketch show that could have used a tighter runtime. The bit is funny, but goes on for too long. I’m glad I got to catch this show before it leaves The Hudson on Monday 1/12/2026. Big team put this together, looking at the program. Music and lyrics by Patrick Spencer & Anthony de Angelis, with the book by Zoe Ann Jordan. Could not tell, by the program, if this is by a theater company or the producers created a team to make this happen. One more note is that theater in Los Angeles is becoming way too expensive. I recall Sacred Fools put together an initiative to not charge over $15, but other theater prices are outrageous. I literally paid more for a ticket at Hudson more than rush ticket at Pantages. Whoever is calculating prices, get yourself together.
Stage Takes 