The Elephant Man

The Elephant Man

• Genre: Fiction; Drama; Biographical Drama
• Originally Published: 1979
• Reading Level/Interest: Grades 10-12; College/Adult
• Structure/Length: Divided into 2 acts with 21 scenes; approximately 89 pages; approximately 2 hours of running time
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: The play is based on the life of Joseph Merrick, referred to as John Merrick in the play, who lived in London during the late 19th century and was known for his extreme physical deformities. The protagonist, John Merrick, is discovered by Frederick Treves, a surgeon, who takes him under his care. The central conflict revolves around Merrick’s struggle for dignity, understanding, and acceptance in a society that sees him as abnormal.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Contains themes of exploitation and human dignity; depiction of physical deformity and the associated societal reactions; emotionally distressing scenes and cruelty; use of racially derogatory words

Bernard Pomerance, Author

• Bio: Born 1940; died 2017; American playwright; moved to London in the late 1960s; co-founded the Foco Novo theatre company in the 1970s; explores themes of human dignity and society’s outsiders in his work
• Other Works: High in Vietnam, Hot Damn (1968); Someone Else is Still Someone (1974); Quantrill in Lawrence (1979); Melons (1984)
• Awards: Tony Award for Best Play (1979); Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play (1979)