“The Elephant Man”

 

George Psarras, Max Tachis & Kristin Brownstone

Within minutes of the play’s beginning, it is clear to the hushed audience that City Lights Theater Company has cast a John Merrick who can stand up to the best of those who have won accolades and awards in the past 25+ years for this most difficult stage role of Bernard Pomerance’s The Elephant Man (including 1979 and 2015 Tony nominations for Philip Anglim and Bradley Cooper, respectively).  Further, it only takes an added-for-this-production, silently-staged prologue introducing us to the streets and citizens of Victorian London, high and low of birth, to realize that Lisa Mallette is not going to be intimidated by the scores of much larger stages and auditoria where The Elephant Man has played in all its many premieres and tours since 1979.  

For my full review of this excellent production, please link to Talkin’ Broadway: http://www.talkinbroadway.com/page/regional/sanjose/sj35.html