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| Cast | |
| Frederick Treves | Tony Donnelly |
| Carr Gomm | Ian Saxton |
| Ross | David Hampton |
| John Merrick | Mike Higginson |
| Man at Fairground | Brian Matthews |
| First Pinhead | Claire Anthony |
| Second Pinhead | Vicky Findlay |
| Third Pinhead | Maureen Hardwen |
| Belgian Policeman | Peter Gray |
| Conductor | Ian Saxton |
| London Policeman | Peter Gray |
| Nurse Sandwich | Claire Anthony |
| Porter | David Hampton |
| Bishop How | Peter Gray |
| Snork | Brian Matthews |
| Mrs Kendal | Nicky Card |
| Duchess | Claire Anthony |
| Countess | Vicky Findlay |
| Princess Alexandra | Maureen Hardwen |
| Lord John | Brian Matthews |
| Crew | |
| Stage Manager | Janet Hampton |
| Assistant Stage Managers | Jean Sharp, Nicole Antras |
| Set Design | Nicky Card, Steve Marshall |
| Costumes | Nicky Card |
| Lighting | Dennis Kingshott |
| Sound | Tim Hewitt, Alan Webster |
| Poster Design | Nicole Antras |
The proceeds of the programme sales for this production are to be donated to the Children's Unit Appeal of the London Hospital.
Reviews
Elephant Man first as Merrick shuns
make-up
The Edward Alderton Theatre appeared to have set itself a mammoth task
this week. The Elephant Man is the true story of John Merrick,
an intelligent man born hideously deformed and rescued from a
fairground by the Victorian philanthropy of Frederick Treves. How can
one evoke Victorian London with two chairs, a table and a bed? How can
Mike Higginson convince as Merrick with no make-up, when John Hurt
took five hours over his in the film?
Director and set designer Steve Marshall makes the very best use of his space and his actors. He knows that set changes and even Merrick's made-up face itself, will distract from the play. Higginson transforms his face and body into Merrick's before our eyes and he achieves more than ten hours' worth of make-up.
Tony Donnelly's Treves is a man with everything he could wish for. But as Merrick takes on Treves' rules and values wholesale, Treves comes to see that they are rules hypocritically designed to exclude Merrick from everything but charity. Treves' world is one where physical love is forbidden, where religion is merely a consolation, and heaven is a good anaesthetic. Merrick can never be graceful in it, merely grateful. His very death is an attempt, finally, to be 'normal'. The Elephant Man plays until tomorrow. Programme sales go to the the London Hospital Children's Appeal.
Derek Staples
Bexleyheath and Welling Mercury | 30 November 1989
Elephant Man play reveals an uncomfortable face to the truth
The story of John Merrick, as told in Bernard Pomerance's play The Elephant Man, is largely true. The hideously deformed man moved from being a sideshow freak to a figure feted by the London society of the 1880s. But Pomerance's play is more than a narrative of his history: it raises questions about how we make character judgements and the role of faith in our lives. It is a strong piece for the Edward Alderton Theatre to tackle but although the company meets it square on, the production doesn't quite realise all its potential.
On opening night there was a disjointed feel to the performances, which although good did not I interlock well, failing to establish adequately the relationships between Merrick and his friends. Nonetheless there were some excellent elements in the production, first among them Mike Higginson's performance as Merrick. As suggested by the author, there was no attempt to recreate Merrick's disfigurement with masks or make-up. Instead Mike Higginson contorted his body and face to create a disturbingly effective image, combined with a halting, lisping speech. Tony Donnelly as Frederick Treves, the doctor who "rescues" Merrick, found the right amount of passion but never quite consolidated the relationship between the two. Nicky Card as Merrick's elegant friend Mrs Kendal, measured her performance well and found the important chemistry between the characters.
The set, designed by Steve Marshall (who also directed) and Nicky Card, was a striking white framework covered with semi-opaque muslin to match the bag the Elephant Man wore over his face. With some ghostly blue lighting the effect was like acting out the play inside Merrick's head. The strength of illusion was spoiled, however, when, after Merrick's poignant death, the actor was seen to climb off his bed and head for the wings.
Darryl McCarthy
Kentish Times | 30 November 1989
