Yesterday evening (21 February) I went to see a production of Elephant Man at the Brockley Jack Theatre, (http://www.brockleyjack.co.uk/portfolio/elephant-man/). I would recommend this moving performance which has now, sadly finished, the last one having taken place on Saturday 21 February.
The play tells the true story of Joseph Merrick or as he came to be known Elephant Man. Born in Leicester Joseph came into the world showing no signs of physical deformity. However at an early age signs of physical disfigurement manifested themselves including loose skin and a pronounced bulge on Joseph’s forhead. Joseph appears to have had a loving relationship with his mother, however on her death and the remarriage of his father he left home due to ill treatment and entered Leicester’s workhouse. Following 4 years in that institution Joseph discharged himself into the care of a series of showmen who exhibited him in so-called freak shows. It was at a shop owned by a circus proprietor named Tom Norman that a surgeon from the London Hospital, Fredrick Treves met Joseph. Interested in Joseph’s condition Treves paid Norman for loaning him out in order that medical tests could be performed in an effort to understand Joseph’s condition. On his return to Norman he was exhibited abroad by other circus owners where he was robbed and deprived of all savings.
On returning to the UK Joseph was taken by Treves to the London Hospital (he had Treve’s calling card in his pocket which allowed the police to contact the surgeon).
While at The London Hospital Treves came to understand Joseph’s speech and a friendship developed between the 2 men. Elephant Man’s fame spread which led to visits from well connected society ladies and gentlemen together with invitations to the theatre and trips to the country estate of Lady Knightly.
Elephant Man raises troubling issues of exploitation. Treves is kind and does, genuinely appear to have developed a friendship for Joseph. However despite his genuine regard for him Treves was complicit in exhibiting Joseph for the education (and in many cases) the entertainment of others. Treves criticises Norman for exploiting Joseph which, to 21st century eyes he most certainly did. However Joseph expressed gratitude to Norman for allowing him to earn a living and it was at his own request that he entered the world of freak shows. Given the choice between the harsh rigours of the workhouse and being laughed and jeered at as a “freak” in a circus, Joseph chose the latter because it afforded him financial recompense. There is a sceene in Elephant Man in which a down at heel Norman confronts the prosperous Treves and asks for the return of Joseph. Treves refuses and brands Norman as an exploiter. Norman responds that it is Treves who is the exploiter and that the circus did at least afford Joseph the opportunity to earn money. While Treves certainly comes across as the more humane character he does, to 21st century eyes carry a whiff of the exploiter.
Merrick died at the tragically young age of 27 probably as a consequence of attempting to sleep normally thereby breaking his neck. His skeleton is now in a medical museum although not viewable by the public.
At a time of little governmental provision for the destitute (other than the workhouse) Merrick was faced with little option other than to participate in the degrading freak shows of the time or to throw himself on the mercies of The London Hospital. His treatment at the London was, by the standards of the time humane. It is, however not what Joseph would have chosen had he not been compelled by the force of circumstance to do so. The horror aroused in most people by his deformities led to a much constrained mode of existence which one would not wish on anyone.
