Bradley Cooper
Transforms into Both Elephant Man and Stage Star Before Our Eyes
By Lauren Yarger
There is a reason Broadway’s The Elephant Man is doing gangbusters at the box office and has already recouped for its investors: it’s terrific.
By Lauren Yarger
There is a reason Broadway’s The Elephant Man is doing gangbusters at the box office and has already recouped for its investors: it’s terrific.
Two-time Oscar
nominee Bradley Cooper (“Silver Linings Playbook”
and “American Hustle”) turns in what will surely be a Tony-award
nominated performance in Bernard Pomerance’s play about Joseph
Merrick, a horribly deformed man who became the toast of Victorian society in
London.
Merrick (named John
here and played by Cooper), suffers from a bone disease that causes
elephant-like skin development, an oversized head and other deformities that
make him an outcast. He finds himself living a horrible life in a workhouse,
then as a sideshow freak under the cruel, exploitive management of a man called
Ross (Anthony Heald).
He eventually finds his way to a kind doctor, Frederick Treves (Alessandro Nivola) who wants to study Merrick “in the interest of
science.” He launches a public drive for funds and brings Merrick to London
Hospital – at first against the wishes of its head, Carr Gomm (Henry Stram) -- where
he is sheltered and finds the first “home” he ever has known.
While Treves lectures students about
his subject, with the help of slides showing Merrick’s grotesquely tortured
body, we see Cooper transform into the Elephant Man as each deformity is
addressed. The performance, under the direction of Scott Ellis, who helmed this
production in Williamstown in 2012, renders makeup, prosthetics or additional costuming
unnecessary for Cooper to make the transition. It’s attractive Cooper (named People
Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 2011) up there on stage, but we see the Elephant
Man. Clint Ramos designs the Victorian garb to remind us of the
uptight, layered society in which Merrick lives.
The slides used in the performance, with the help of
projection and expert lighting design (Timothy R. Mackabee, who also is scenic designer, and Philip S. Rosenberg, respectively), are actual photographs of Merrick taken by
Dr. Treves in 1880. Additional mood is set by John Gromada’s original music and sound design as
hospital curtains are drawn across the stage to change scenes. They are a
constant reminder that Merrick, though in much better conditions, still is a
subject of study and that society has a hard time accepting what it doesn’t
understand.
As
Merrick settles in, enjoying baths to lessen the odors of his flesh, and
building a model of St. Phillip’s Church (still on display at the hospital), a strong
friendship develops between patient and doctor. Treves works to bring in other
people, especially women, to interact with Merrick. Mrs. Sandwich (Kathryn
Meisle) thinks she is up to the task after having nursed unfortunates on
missions trips, but finds she can’t deal with Merrick’s deformities. Treves
finds success when he introduces a renowned actress and queen of London’s
society, Mrs. Kendal (a delightful Patricia Clarkson who manages to steal some
scenes). She throws herself into playing a role, but finds herself genuinely
drawn to Merrick as a friend and as a man.
Merrick has
an unshakable faith in God and in his salvation. He has some intelligent
conversations with Bishop Walsham How (also played by Heald) and becomes the toast of society with royalty
begging for an audience with him. While Merrick blossoms into his own person
and enjoys as “normal” a life as he ever has known, the disease continues its
progression, however. Pomerance’s play tells the moving story of Merrick, his courage and
incredible outlook while making intelligent comment on society, both Victorian
and modern.
Cooper’s astonishing performance is
strenuous as he contorts his body into the misshapen man, walks with a limp and
speaks with a slur. Clarkson is absolutely charming. They make a dynamic stage duo.
My only complaint is that it sometimes was difficult to hear. Some dialogue should
not be missed:
“Sometimes I
think my head is so big because it is so full of dreams. . . do
you know what happens when dreams cannot get out?”
Otherwise,
The Elephant Man is one of the most
enjoyable two hours of the season. It runs through Feb. 22 at the Booth Theatre, 222 West 45th St., NYC. Performances are Tuesday and Thursday at 7 pm; Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 8 pm; Wednesday and Saturday at 2 pm, Sunday at 3 pm with some scheduling changes planned. Tickets $99 - $169: http://elephantmanbroadway.com
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-- Nudity
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