Saw The Musical: The Unauthorized Parody of Saw had a wildly popular off-Broadway stint. It is now enjoying a national tour as it brings the grime to a city a near you. So, it was only a matter of time before this odd fusion of blood, music, and potty humor made its way to Chicago. The show running from June 26 – September 6, 2026, at The Den Theater is somehow very fitting for the venue and the city.
As you enter the theatre, you notice production has chosen to set the action in an alley set-up. You also notice there is a splash zone section of seating stage right. As you take in the fake tile walls coated in blood, you also spot the parody’s version of Billy the Puppet at center stage. He stares blankly (and adorably) at the front of the staging area where most of the audience will be sitting. It’s uncanny how much the set design really does remind you of Saw. Which serves a warning that this is not going to be one of the typical Chicago long-form sketch situations that goes up every weekend for eternity.
Wanna Play a Game?
Saw the Musical was created by Cooper Jordan. It was penned by Zoe Ann Jordan, and features music and lyrics written by Patrick Spencer and Anthony de Angelis. It tells the tale many horror fans (and even casual filmgoers) know all too well. Two men wake up in a particularly disgusting bathroom and discover they have to play a game if they want to survive. The musical pokes fun at some of the sequels but sticks to the first movie’s premise while basking in the inherent queerness of the franchise. Our two captives really want to bone each other. Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Blake Friedman) and Adam Stanheight (Anthony Chavers) have songs, asides, and choreography that reveal the yearning they have for each other from across the dirty bathroom. In this way, the musical parody is actually interesting and kind of cool.
The show features a cast of three and a blowup sex doll. So, Friedman’s track is Gordon/Zepp, Chavers’ is Adam/Diana, and Janey Elliot is Jigsaw/Amanda/Alison. The sound mixing was terrible, and there were some vocal struggles the Thursday night show I snuck into. However, Elliot was the clear VIP of the evening. She brings an almost Cheri Oteri manic energy as she juggles dancing in a robe while operating our beloved puppet. Elliot also has to switch between hitting her Broadway-bound vocal highs and then digging deep for the Jigsaw gravelly threats pretty frequently. She steals the show pretty early on and forces the other two actors to fight for their chuckles.
Is This Funny?
I’m not a parody girl, as proven by my Scary Movie coverage. However, I did chuckle as John Kramer threw himself down in a blackout so they could riff off of the body on the floor not being completely dead. I also giggled when Dr. Gordon started gleefully sawing his foot off and threw blood on the six brave souls seated in the splash zone. Everyone gets a moment. This includes the sex doll whose wardrobe malfunction during her dance moment turned out to be part of the routine. We love that and it makes it easier for the production to charm you into wanting to forgive the issues.
As a recovering theatre bitch, I appreciate wanting to do something with a small cast. However, the scene transitions took forever and made Saw the Musical longer than it needed to be. I don’t know if having more hands backstage would help. However, something has to be done because this shouldn’t be a two-hour event. Most transitions left the audience just hanging out in darkness chatting about their day for what seemed like eternity. When the intermission sign came out, it became apparent that reevaluating scene changes (and trimming the script) would be so useful. Another issue is that many of the songs are forgettable. Which makes you wonder if the jokes and/or gags could be put somewhere else to get rid of a couple of numbers. Especially the ones that are kind of repetitive and retread the same jokes we’ve made for an hour already.
That’s All, Chicago!
The Chicago cast is adorable and down to clown. However, it would have been cool if Friedman and Chavers tracks allowed them to show more range. A huge part of the reason Elliot’s track is awesome is that she gets to do so much. She dips her toe into campy menace as Jigsaw and comedic action star as Alison. She even gets a few seconds during her Amanda scenes to remind us this musical is based on a horror IP when she is in the chair wearing the reverse beartrap. While the show’s compass always points towards camp, she at least gets to show you what she can do between jokes.
I see why Saw The Musical: The Unauthorized Parody of Saw is having a moment. I’m not the audience, but I even think it’s a fine time. While I don’t think it’s worth the $44 ticket price in this economy, it’s nice to see the beginning of something that may mutate into something bigger. It’s a far cry from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, but who can say if it will not go on to become this generation’s grungy gay little moment? There is enough here that I can’t help rooting for it. Maybe it’s the charming cast or one-liners that sent me into orbit. Or maybe I’m just getting soft in old age. However, if they tweak the recipe a bit, I would like to catch Jigsaw Incorporated outside again.
