This is based on the legendary life of St. Anthony the Great (ca. 251-356 AD), who gave away all his possessions to become a hermit. According to legend, Satan sent temptations and demons nightly to torment him. His story became popular as a puppet play in Belgium and France, and the scene in which the demons tore down his hermitage generally led to merry pandemonium among the audience. The pig was a particularly popular character.
The current production is a rhyming play written by Alice Wallace. Pluto learns that Father Anthony is saving “far too many souls,” and the archfiend plots revenge on the old man, sending his own wife to tempt him and his fiends to torment him. Among the not-so-special effects are a thunderstorm, flying pig, and a scene change to the stirring music of “Stars and Stripes Forever." On kazoo.
