Now, here is a new musical chalk and cheese review. Following the wonderful originality of New Blood, I enter the packed audience of The Marvellous Elephant Man – The Musical.  Is it marvellous? Is it really the Elephant Man we have known from history and the wonderfully touching film? Neither could I answer yes to. Then, what is it? Yes, it is a musical, albeit a burlesque-style one, with a few exciting show numbers. The opening number really lifted one’s spirits and hopes, but when the white-faced Elephant Man appeared, anti-climax after anti-climax followed, and a convoluted non-convincing romantic narrative was interrupted by some genuinely unoriginal songs of gratuitous innuendo after innuendo, together with some Rocky Horror shadow screen theatrics.

To be fair, all the performers were excellent, great voices, movers and shakers but, for me, they were flogging a dead elephant. I think, perhaps, using and exploiting The Elephant Man story in such a meaningless way is what makes it a travesty of bad intent. Yes, they had a part standing ovation, yes, most of the audience loved it, and most reviews, no doubt, will be favourable but, alas, I found it hollow and unoriginal. Nevertheless, please go see, and judge for yourself.