The Elephant Man: The Musical

Written by Jeff Hylton and Tim Werenko

No. 11 Productions

210 Front Street, South Street Seaport

201-390-8524

 

Review by Hannah Schwartz

 

Joseph Merrick, a 19th-century Englishman trapped and isolated beneath an enormous deformity, was the tragic, real-life figure who came to be known as the Elephant Man. No. 11 Productions wisely glosses over the more harrowing aspects of Merrick’s story in The Elephant Man: The Musical, “a gentle parody of, and homage to, musical theater,” as the playbill describes. Each character in the show is a musical theater archetype: the protagonist hero (Roger Mulligan) struggling to overcome obstacles (in this case, a genetic deformity made with packing tape and plastic cups); self-seeking Dr. Lipscomb (Ira Sargent); flighty, indecisive Jessica (Haley Greenstein); a vulgar sideshow host named Horace and Presby Raincoat, a faaabulous but lonely Broadway producer (both played by Ryan Emmons). The cast is talented and each adheres to his or her part perfectly. Mulligan succeeds with form in tugging our heartstrings and tangibly conveying Merrick’s desire to be a Broadway star, and Greenstein shines in her over-the-top performance, impressing us with her pipes and her many costume changes as Jessica struggles to find herself through nunnery, Buddhism, even dancing.

 

However, what drags down the cast’s stellar performances are the unnecessary and complicated side stories that have little to do with the Elephant Man and his dreams. It’s understood that each story represents a character struggling to achieve his or her own goals, but the subplots ultimately distract and confuse the audience from the real point and fun of the show.

 

The only shocking aspect of this production is its heavy emphasis on lewd and vulgar humor. Overall, though, the writers and actors handle the sensitive topic of the Elephant Man perfectly — by not treating it with any sensitivity whatsoever. In true parody form, the title character is often called names like “Vomit Face,” and in true musical form, he (and everyone else) gets exactly what he wants and deserves in the end, providing the satisfaction of a successful musical with a few sly, wacky additions.