Bradley Cooper ON THE LONDON STAGE!

Set in the late 19th Century, Bradley Cooper stars in this powerful drama about the extraordinary story of Joseph Merrick - a severely disfigured man who is taken in by the circus to form part of their travelling 'freak show.' This new revival of Bernard Pomerance's play, which premiered at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 2012 and enjoyed a critically successful run on Broadway last winter, follows Merrick's trials as he attempts to live a life with dignity, and struggle to be seen as more than just a form of entertainment.

WHAT IS THE ELEPHANT MAN ABOUT?

The play traces the strange life of one Joseph Merrick, 1862 - 1890. His sheer survival was a marvel, as his whole body was stricken with a rare and extreme swelling disorder that left him severerly deformed from childhood.

He left home at 17, after being rejected by his father and stepmother, and entered the workhouse. Uncertain of his future, he wrote to a showman, Sam Torr and became a sideshow exhibit, earning the ephitet The Elephant Man. Life on the road was tough for Merrick and he eventually ended up in poverty, before being taken in by a doctor by the name of Frederick Treves.

Over the last four years of Merrick's life, Treves devoted himself to his care and studying his disease. The two men form a strong bond during this time, yet questions remain about how much Treves cared for Merrick and to what degree he was using him to advance his own career.

Cooper presents a unique portrait of Merrick, using physicality rather than make-up or special effects to bring 'The Elephant Man' to life once more in this powerful play that has had audiences raving on Broadway. Don't miss your chance to see this world-class performance on our very own West End.