‘Elephant Man’ a haunting play

theater reviewEven if you think you already know the story of “The Elephant Man,” you haven’t seen it told like this. Within the cozy confines of The Victory Theater Center in Burbank, the life of John (Joseph) Merrick comes magically to life before your eyes, and the intimate and tragic visit will stay with you long after the curtain drops.

That curtain never actually rises in the first place, thanks to an imaginative set design by Randy Kone where scrims completely line the front of the stage. This allows actual slides of the hideously deformed Merrick to be displayed, but when illuminated to be transparent, the audience can see through the walls, and witness his torturous journey from freak shows to the upper rungs of London society during the 1880s.

After a miserable upbringing amid endless carnivals and worse in Belgium, Merrick is befriended by Dr. Frederick Treves (George Ferra). The sympathetic doctor manages to save Merrick from the streets and give him both a home and a chance to live out his short life like a “normal” citizen of London.

But the perverted gawking Merrick dealt with at sideshows is merely replaced by the prying eyes of the curious royalty Treves brings by to visit. The one genuine connection he makes is with an actress (Tracy Lynn Jensen) who can see past his ghastly exterior and into his deep and intelligent soul. In Merrick, she somehow finds a kindred spirit.

Derick Han is not to missed as Merrick. It’s not exactly a flawless performance, but the emotions he conveys are so intense that you can’t help but feel profoundly moved.

Since no prosthetics are used to create an actual likeness of Merrick’s deformities, Han is left to create the impression of their existence by himself. The way he contorts his body to mirror Merrick’s shortcomings is heartbreaking to behold.

This powerful transformation from “animal” to “human being” overpowers everything else in the show. When Merrick is offstage at the beginning and end of the story, the pacing drags and the scenes are sloppy. But director June Chandler makes this work, as it mirrors the haunting effect Merrick has on those around him.

The art and poetry he provides to the people he meets lives and dies with his very presence on stage.

FYI:

WHAT: “The Elephant Man” by Bernard Pomerance produced by Actors Etc.

WHERE: The Victory Theatre Center, 3326 W. Victory Blvd., Burbank

WHEN: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through Feb. 26. Special performances are at 2 and 7 p.m. Feb. 26

TICKETS: $20 to $28

CONTACT: (818) 841-5421 www.thevictorytheatrecenter.org

* JAMES PETRILLO is a screenwriter and actor from Los Angeles.

20060201ity077nc(LA)George Ferra as Dr. Frederick Treves and Derick Han as John Merrick in “The Elephant Man.”20060201hjxveikf(LA)James Petrillo