The Elephant Man to play Melbourne!
Now coming to Melbourne, The Marvellous Elephant Man: The Musical is a sell-out sensation that has taken Adelaide Fringe by storm, winning the 2023 Adelaide Fringe Critics’ Circle Award. The show will arrive at Melbourne’s Chapel Off Chapel for a limited engagement during the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF).
Directed by Christopher HF Mitchell and Olivier-award winner Guy Masterson, and written and composed by Marc Lucchesi of Vaudeville Smash with Jayan and Sarah Nandagopan, this original Australian musical tells the story of Joseph Merrick, a disfigured man who strives to find his place in the pitiless Victorian era.
Lead actor Ben Clark delivers an outstanding performance as The Elephant Man. Trained at the Victorian College of the Arts, Clark has an impressive background in musical theatre, opera, and television, including a role as Hairdresser in The Phantom of the Opera (Arts Centre Melbourne) and a fifth-place finish on The Voice (2018).
He is joined by Annelise Hall, who plays Nurse Hope in the production. Hall, a recent graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University with a Bachelor of Musical Theatre, has appeared in productions of Grease and Mamma Mia and has been nominated for the Hollywood Immersive 2017 Scholarship.
Together with the talented cast and creative team, they bring to life the heartwarming and unforgettable story of The Marvellous Elephant Man.
The show takes a deliciously irreverent and delightfully inaccurate retelling of Merrick’s life. It promises to keep audiences on the edge of their seats and rolling in the aisles. Critics have called it “outrageously entertaining” and “if I could give this show ten stars, I would.”
However, it’s important to note that the show does not trivialize the cruelty and indifference of Victorian London, nor does it diminish Merrick’s real misfortunes. Instead, this comic reimagining brings to life the hopefulness and courage of a deeply-misunderstood man.
Don’t miss your chance to witness the Marvellous Elephant Man take the stage at Chapel Off Chapel. The show runs from April 18th to April 23rd, with both evening and matinee performances available. Get your tickets now and experience the heartbreak, hilarity, and ultimately uplifting story of Joseph Merrick.
