The Elephant Man Stoke Rep

THE Elephant Man tells the sad story of John Merrick, a man horrifically disfigured from birth.

The scene is set perfectly from the start, as before the actors even step on stage the audience is presented with projections of vintage freak show posters and flyers.

The early part of the play depicts the meeting between Ross, the man who used Merrick to make a living in public freak shows, and Frederick Treves, a gifted surgeon who later became Merrick's protector, doctor and friend.

The character of Merrick is portrayed brilliantly by James Freeman, as is Treves, played by John Wickes, who as the story unfolds develops into a man driven by greed, little better than the those in the high society circles in which he mixes.

His conflicting feelings towards Merrick and himself are made stark in a powerful scene later on, when Treves is haunted by a recurring nightmare where Merrick appears 'normal' while he is burdened with social deformities, turning the situation on its head. Who is the monster now?

A unique feature of this play is that Merrick does not have any make-up or prosthetics to make him look disfigured, unlike the film of the same name.

This allows the audience to look through the afflictions and see Merrick for the human he really is.

As Merrick enters into the high society of London through stage star Madge Kendal, his character develops so we see more of his true self and his musings on what is considered 'normal'. Subtleties missed on the silver screen come to life on stage, where his character is given more dialogue than in the film.

We begin to see Merrick's own humour and wit, as the play examines whether or not he is any better off being presented to the paying public on the streets, or to those in high society.

With the use of few props, the dingy streets of London, where Merrick is forced to perform, remain in stark contrast to the hospital room filled with his personal possessions, as the two halves are presented on a revolving stage.

As a first visit to the Stoke Rep, this was a wonderful introduction. The strong cast brilliantly portray the last years of Merrick's life, charting his ascent to become a man of society.

The Elephant Man runs at the Stoke Rep until Saturday, March 20. For tickets and more information, call 01782 209784.

Matthew Webb