The Elephant Man
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Written by Bernard Pomerance Directed by Natalie V. Safley |
Synopsis:
The Elephant Man is based on the life of John Merrick, who lived in London during the latter part of the nineteenth century. A horribly deformed young man, who has been a freak attraction in traveling side shows, is found abandoned and helpless and is admitted for observation to Whitechapel, a prestigious London Hospital. Under the care of a famous young doctor, who educates him and introduces him to London society, Merrick changes from a sensational object of pity to the urbane and witty favorite of the aristocracy and literati. But his belief that he can become a man like any other is a dream never to be realized.
Produced through arragements with Samuel French Inc.
Ringmaster & Announcer: Asher Miller
Frederick Treves: Stephen Smith
Carr Gomm: Tim Griffin
Ross: Jay Tilley
John Merrick: Hans Dettmar
Pinhead Manager: Eric Garner
Pinheads: Laura Moody, Kara Succolosky, Kyla Waitt
Belgian Policeman: Wayne Jacques
Conductor: David Saunders
Miss Sandwich: Robin Zerbe
Will: David Saunders
Bishop Walsham How: Phillip Archey
Snork: Wayne Jacques
Mrs. Kendal: Alyssa Jacobsen
Duchess: Kara Succolosky
Countess: Kyla Waitt
Lord John: Eric Garner
Princess Alexandra: Natalie Holmes
Producer: Theresa Bender
Director: Natalie V. Safley
Stage Manager: Christy Jacobs
Assistant Stage Manager: Lillian Colquitt
Technical Director: Rick Wilson
Set Designer: Natalie V. Safley
Master Carpenter: Rick Wilson
Sound Designer: Ben Allen
Sound Board Operator: Jeff Bender
Lighting Designer: Brandon Belote
Light Board Operator: Kai Betty
Publicity: Leah Aspell
Publicity Assistant: Jill Tunick
Costumer: Susan Reid
Costumer Assistant: Laura Moody
Hair Designer: Susan Reid
Props Master: Michael Schaaff
Props Crew: Brian Garrison
Set Dressing: Brian Garrison, Michael Schaaff
Running Cew: Brian Garrison, Michael Schaaff
House Manager: Chris Blake
Program Designer: Matthew Randall
Show Photographer: Matthew Randall
VideographerDave Wright
Bloggers: Erin Anderson, Theresa Bender
Poster Design: Nick Arey
Dialect Coach: Carol Strachan
“All societies had some form of entertainment. How did it start? Why? What functions did it serve? I think the answer is that it is some form of social memory. It serves to bring back points that are too volatile, too dangerous to be lived every day—the skeletons in the closet, the guilt.”
Bernard Pomerance, NY Times, February 4, 1979
When asked what drew him to the story of Joseph Merrick, Pomerance can’t narrow it down to one element. He was first introduced to the story of Merrick by his brother following a visit to the London Hospital museum. “I’m still not sure what I saw in it then, I find it hard to express myself outside the play. Perhaps the fact of his being rejected by one society but accepted by another.” (Owen, NY Times, February 4, 1979) Pomerance considers himself American born but has loyalties to England. Additionally, historical events in both England and the United States influenced Pomerance’s views within the play.
The 1970’s found the Western world devastated by unemployment, inflated prices, debt and a large economic depression. Furthermore, the Vietnam War created distrust among the people towards their government. This was the opposite of the Victorian era, where individuals had great trust and faith in their leaders. For Victorian high society, theatre was seen as purely a form of entertainment, whereas in the 1970’s, many playwrights wanted their plays to illustrate a strong political message. “If a play was not thought-provoking for the audience, they believed, then it had not served its purpose,” Pomerance agreed in the earlier-cited NY Times article, “Mostly, theater is untrue. So much of it is full of the most limited, self-seeking adolescent vices and just not true.” The ideas of Bertolt Brecht were embraced by playwrights. Brecht’s alienation effect asked audiences to think about what they were seeing and it asked playwrights to make the strange familiar and the familiar strange. These ideas are evident in The Elephant Man: twenty-one scenes illustrate scenes from Merrick’s life. It does not follow the traditional unities of Aristotle’s Poetics of time and place. Pomerance also requests, in the stage directions, that the actor portraying Merrick is to wear no grotesque makeup. “This forces the audience to become part of the play; they must use their imagination without the aid of costumes or makeup that would make it easier for them to immediately empathize with Merrick. Instead, the audience is forced to see the character of the man instead of his deformities”.
How the world viewed the mentally and physically challenged shifted dramatically in the 1970’s. People were less fearful of those who were different, due to an increased education on the subject. For example, The Independent Living Movement was founded in Berkeley, CA, which provided opportunities for individuals with special needs to live and work on their own. The Equal Education Opportunity Act of 1976 created environments for individuals with special needs to be mainstreamed within the public school setting. Therefore, people like Joseph Merrick no longer had to depend solely on others for survival. In the Victorian era, “particularly, the deformed and deranged were kept out of sight because it was feared that they might upset upper-class Victorian women who were believed to be sheltered and easily shocked.”
Even in these enlightened times, however, those with extreme deformities tend to remain out of sight, though they may no longer be required to do so. Their career options are limited only by their particular skills and abilities. Yet they are certainly not a part of the mainstream. Pomerance’s play asks us to look beyond the physical appearance and see the man beneath. One by one, perhaps each of us can learn to do so. Only in this way can we ever hope to achieve the dream of a society truly accepting of all people.
– Natalie V. Safley
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