What's On

The show-stopping, five-star-studded musical comedy, THE MARVELLOUS ELEPHANT MAN, makes its NSW debut at the 2023 Sydney Fringe Festival

Roll up! Roll up! Leave your coat at the door and your jaws on the floor, the shockingly original, sold-out musical comedy that stole the spotlight at the Adelaide Fringe is coming to the 2023 Sydney Fringe. Grab tickets to the 4 week run of The Marvellous Elephant Man the Musical at the iconic Sydney Spiegeltent at Sydney Fringe’s Spiegeltent Festival Gardens before it hits Broadway and the West End and you can’t get tickets at all.

The Marvellous Elephant Man will tread the boards from 1 September to 1 October, the jewel in the crown of the Sydney Fringe’s new entertainment playground, at the Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park. As this glorious Big Top comes to EQ, audiences can expect an all-singing, all-dancing, roll-in-the-aisles funny production that's sure to become the must-see spectacle of the season.

During its extraordinary run at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and the Adelaide Fringe, The Marvellous Elephant Man stole the hearts of crowds, and the admiration of critics with a slew of rave 5-star reviews. See the show BEAT Magazine call “Beauty & the Beast meets Book of Mormon.” “If I could give this show ten stars, I would…” reported GLAM Adelaide.

The tale begins in the darkness of a Victorian freak show, where we meet our protagonist, John Merrick; a character (very loosely) based on the real human who came to be known as the Elephant Man. Enter Dr Treeves! A megalomaniacal medical mastermind, the villain of the play, and our hero’s rival for the affections of the lovely Nurse Hope. The story that follows charts the outrageous misadventures of Mr Merrick, as fights to overcome the prejudice of the age, and prove that love conquers all.

Originally conceived and composed by three professional Australian musicians - Marc Lucchesi of Vaudeville Smash, plus Jay and Sarah Nandagopan - The Marvellous Elephant Man has come a long way since its humble 2022 debut at the Melbourne Jazz Lab. The present show is co-helmed by Olivier-award winning Broadway Director, Guy Masterson, and independent entertainment magnate and filmmaker, Chris Mitchell, who make the production worthy of the West End.

An all-star cast of world-class musical theatre talent and creative contributors round out the team. Opera Australia veteran Kanen Breen plays the dastardly Dr Treves, Ten Tenors tenor Ben Smith takes the titular role and rising star Annelise Hall steps into the sensible non-slip surgery room shoes of Nurse Hope.

Chris Mitchell, the Co-Director and chief Producer of the production had this to say about the show:
“The Marvellous Elephant Man is a delightfully irreverent and remarkably inaccurate musical that
reminds people why they fell in love with musicals in the first place.”

“With the iconic Sydney Spiegeltent as our new home, the stage has been set for the best-ever showings of The Marvellous Elephant Man the Musical. Audiences should expect a theatrical feast for the senses, with astonishing choreography, awe-inspiring set design and a brilliant, internationally acclaimed ensemble of performers. Get ready to experience the extraordinary!” He adds.