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What would come to be known as "the best production nobody would see," Stocker Fontelieu's production of "The Elephant Man" centered on the life of John Merrick (Alan Paul Lee), called "The Elephant Man" by history and Victorian England because of his affliction by an outsized disease which would come to be called 'elehantiasis' because of Merrick's fame. His discovery by Dr. Treves (Jim Chimento) in a sideshow run by a roustabout called Ross (Vatican Lokey) leads to his interrment in a London hospital run by Mr. Carr Gomm (Edward R. Cox), where his social graces and interesting condition makes ...Read More
What would come to be known as "the best production nobody would see," Stocker Fontelieu's production of "The Elephant Man" centered on the life of John Merrick (Alan Paul Lee), called "The Elephant Man" by history and Victorian England because of his affliction by an outsized disease which would come to be called 'elehantiasis' because of Merrick's fame. His discovery by Dr. Treves (Jim Chimento) in a sideshow run by a roustabout called Ross (Vatican Lokey) leads to his interrment in a London hospital run by Mr. Carr Gomm (Edward R. Cox), where his social graces and interesting condition makes him a London celebrity. His truest acceptance comes from a popular actress named Mrs. Kendall (Kristi Yacich), who not only takes Merrick under her wing but actively promotes him to society, particularly one Bishop Waltham How (Lokey), and the most influential royalty (Lisa Shattuck & Susan Barrett Smith) who welcome him into royal society with glee.
This show is best remembered (literally) for being 'the greatest production of "The Elephant Man" which virtually no one saw.' Those who did see it still remember the caliber of performance director Fontelieu elicited from his cast. The production is also remembered in the Michael Cahill book "Just Who Is Stocker Fontelieu, Anyway?"
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