“This certainly does that!”It’s likely that anyone who may be aware of Joseph Merrick has got their information from the 1980 movie starring John Hurt or an earlier play called The Elephant Man. “We have a majority of deaf and disabled cast members,” said Zak who himself was born with cerebral palsy. “We’re not trying to slap anyone around the head with the themes of the play but they are definitely there for you if you care to look.”This production is very different from both the film and original Elephant Man play. “Both were primarily based on the writing of Frederick Trieves the doctor who treated Joseph Merrick and which were written very much from a particular standpoint,” said Zak. The role represents a major challenge for Zak who has appeared in Better and Wolfe on the BBC.

Source: The Times October 15, 2023 04:06 UTC