The Elephant Man

THE ELEPHANT MAN
Wed 29th Aug to Sat 8th Sep 2007
by Bernard Pomerance
Directed by Cheryl Anglesey & Derek Doddington

University Theatre, Arts Centre, Christchurch

An award winning play written by Bernard Pomerance

Directed by Cheryl Anglesey & Derek Doddington

The remarkable life of Joseph Merrick, otherwise known as The Elephant Man, who lived in the Victorian era.

The play’s principal theme shows how the royal surgeon, Dr Frederick Treves, finds the extremely deformed Merrick in a fairground and has him admitted to the London Hospital.

Full then, of both entertaining and dramatic theatre, scenes reveal the twists and turns of the intimate friendship Merrick had with the famous actress Mrs Kendal, as well as how the nobility of London took it upon themselves to visit him, or, as was later described, to view him.

At the hub of many of the awards, critics applauded the conflict that resulted after Treves saved Merrick from the freak shows, only to exploit Merrick himself, questionably for his own gain.