The Elephant Man in an Era of Cancel Culture: Quillette Cetera Episode 19
Crowds love the irreverence of The Marvellous Elephant Man Musical, but activists want it boycotted.
In this episode of Quillette Cetera, Zoe sits down with Christopher HF Mitchell and Jayan Nandagopan, two Australia-based artists whose show, The Marvellous Elephant Man Musical, is now showing at the Sydney Fringe Festival.
The absurdist dark comedy is a crowd favorite and the winner of the Adelaide Fringe 2023 Critics' Circle Award. However, its carefree gags have ruffled many feathers in politically correct circles, so much so that one activist asked that the public boycott the show or demand refunds for tickets already purchased.
We discuss cancel culture in the arts, the story of Joseph Merrick (the Elephant Man), the ethics of casting people with different abilities, identity politics, and much more.
