THE ELEPHANT MAN By Bernard Pomerance At Village Players Theatre April 27 to May 20, 2007 review by Ed Vincent Joseph Carey Merrick (the preferred name to John Merrick) was born in Leicester, England in 1862.  His life has been made known through a series of plays and even films documenting his short and tragic life.  He is now a good example of beauty and the beast.  His physical abhorrence married with his sharp wit, magnifies his painful existence.  Village Players Theatre does a nice job of telling the story.  The settings are simple, but to the point.  The acting by young Anthony Tournis is tremendous in all its aspects.  His movements, his adapted speech, and his demeanor all help bring the life of the Elephant man back to life in Oak  Park.  I would have preferred if some minor make up  had been applied to go beyond the work of our imagination in seeing the deformed Merrick act out the roles.  Later in the play it was easier to feel the presence of Merrick, and this could have been helped with more projections on the backstage of the well known deformed Merrick.  The fact that that was missing makes Anthony Tournis's work more difficult.  The last time that I  saw a  live production of the Elephant Man it featured David Bowie in Chicago (several decades ago when Ziggy Stardust was doing well...).  No one could tell that it was David Bowie, the only clue were the beautiful motley groupies during intermission. For Beauty and the Beast to work well it requires both in their character, visual and then some.  I recommend this play to our theater devotees.  I would have preferred not being able to tell whether this  was David Bowie or Anthony Tournis.  Mr. Tournis is on equal footing with the rock idol in their performance of the Elephant Man. Joseph Carey Merrick died in his sleep on April 11, 1890 while at the Whitechapel Hospital, his residence.  His keen mind in such a horrendous body makes a victim of all humanity, his grace and vision helps us all escape that tragic reality. Denise Blank as Mrs. Kendal, Anthony Tournis as John Merrick Photo credit: DavidTurnerPhoto.com Ray Kasper as Dr. Frederick Treves,  Anthony Tournis as John Merrick, and Denise Blank as Mrs. Kendal Photo credit: DavidTurnerPhoto.com  "One thing that always struck me as sad about Merrick was the fact that he could not smile. Whatever his delight may be his face remained expressionless. He could weep, but he could not smile" - Frederick Treves        © Suburban Journals of  Chicago Inc. photo More news on the life of Merrick   Another Biographical Link on Merrick www.village-players.org The Quotes below are from one of Merrick's writings about his life.  “I first saw the light on the 5th of August, 1860, I was born in Lee Street, Wharf Street, Leicester. The deformity which I am now exhibiting was caused by my mother being frightened by an Elephant; my mother was going along the street when a procession of Animals were passing by, there was a terrible crush of people to see them, and unfortunately she was pushed under the Elephant's feet, which frightened her very much; this occurring during a time of pregnancy was the cause of my deformity. The measurement around my head is 36 inches, there is a large substance of flesh at the back as large as a breakfast cup, the other part in a manner of speaking is like hills and valleys, all lumped together, while the face is such a sight that no one could describe it. The right hand is almost the size and shape of an Elephant's foreleg, measuring 12 inches round the wrist and 5 inches round one of the fingers; the other hand and arm is no larger than that of a girl ten years of age, although it is well proportioned. My feet and legs are covered with thick lumpy skin, also my body, like that of an Elephant, and almost the same colour, in fact, no one would believe until they saw it, that such a thing could exist. It was not perceived much at birth, but began to develop itself when at the age of 5 years. I went to school like other children until I was about 11 or 12 years of age, when the greatest misfortune of my life occurred, namely - the death of my mother, peace to her, she was a good mother to me; after she died my father broke up his home and went to lodgings; unfortunately for me he married his landlady; henceforth I never had one moment's comfort, she having children of her own, and I not being so handsome as they, together with my deformity, she was the means of making my life a perfect misery; lame and deformed as I was, I ran, or rather walked away from home two or three times, but suppose father had some spark of parental feeling left, so he induced me to return home again. The best friend I had in those days was my father's brother, Mr. Merrick, hair Dresser, Church Gate, Leicester. When about 13 years old, nothing would satisfy my step-mother until she got me out to work; I obtained employment at Messrs. Freeman's Cigar Manufacturers, and worked there about two years, but my right hand got too heavy for making cigars, so I had to leave them. I was sent about the town to see if I could procure work, but being lame and deformed no one would employ me; when I went home for my meals, my step-mother used to say I had not been to seek for work. I was taunted and sneered at so that I would not go home for my meals, and used to stay in the streets with an hungry belly rather than return for anything to eat, what few half-meals I did have, I was taunted with the remark -- "That's more than you have earned." Being unable to get employment my father got me a pedlar's license to hawk the town, but being deformed, people would not come to the door to buy my wares. In consequence of my ill luck my life was again made a misery to me, so that I again ran away and went hawking on my own account, but my deformity had grown to such an extent, so that I could not move about the town without having a crowd of people gather around me. I then went into the infirmary at Leicester, where I remained for two or three years, when I had to undergo an operation on my face, having three or four ounces of flesh cut away; so thought I, I'll get my living by being exhibited about the country. Knowing Mr. Sam Torr, Gladstone Vaults, Wharf Street, Leicester, went in for Novelties, I wrote to him, he came to see me, and soon arranged matters, recommending me to Mr. Ellis, Bee-hive Inn, Nottingham, from whom I received the greatest kindness and attention. In making my first appearance before the public, who have treated me well -- in fact I may say I am as comfortable now as I was uncomfortable before.  I must now bid my kind readers adieu. “ THE HUMAN SPIRIT SOARS FROM THE DEPTHS THE ELEPHANT MAN By Bernard Pomerance At Village Players Theatre April 27 to May 20, 2007 THE ELEPHANT MAN is the true and touching story of John Merrick, who was born during Britain’s Victorian era with a hideously deformed body and yet the soul of a remarkably sensitive and intelligent human being. In a time which placed great value on beauty, the grotesque Merrick is shown first scorned and then exploited by a freak show and by the hospital that becomes his refuge. A famous actress, attempting to foster the beauty she finds in Merrick’s spirit, sees her efforts of kindness continually thwarted by the hypocrisy of the time. Anthony Tournis plays the endearing Merrick with Ray Kasper as Dr. Treves, the talented surgeon who befriends him, and Denise Blank as Mrs. Kendal, the lovely actress who embraces him. The cast is rounded out with Tim Amos, Paulette Cary, Eric Clements, David Gilbert, Amy Kasper, Derek Meyer, Betty Scott Smith and Denise Smolarek. The play is directed by Village Players company member Doug Long. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 and Sundays at 3:00, April 29th through May 20th. Tickets are $22 for adults and $18 for seniors and students. There is an additional matinee performance at 1:00 on Wednesday, May 2nd, with all tickets selling for $17. Two preview performances on April 27th and 28th at 8:00 are offered at $12 per ticket. Reservations can be made by phone at Village Players new hotline 866-764-1010 or at the box office or online by visiting www.village-players.org. Village Players resides at 1010 West Madison Avenue in Oak Park. Following The Elephant Man on June 8th Village Players will return to its Classical Vocal Series with Madama Butterfly on the Mainstage and on June 1st Lee Blessing’s A Walk in the Woods reopens Village Player’s newly expanded Play Ground directed by VPT company member Scott Lee Heckman. About the Company Founded in 1961, Village Players Theatre is the western suburbs’ longest running theater company, and one of the oldest companies in the greater Chicagoland area. Now in its 46th season, Village Payers is a member of the League of Chicago Theatres

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This is the Village Players 41st Season of quality 
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