Bradley Cooper is earning raves in his Broadway debut as John Merrick in the new revival of The Elephant Man, slated to run on the Great White Way through February 15. The production also stars Patricia Clarkson and Alessandro Nivola.
From the Variety review:
As Nivola’s Treves dispassionately drones on about his subject’s twisted limbs and misshapen torso, Cooper stands stock still in a cone of light and silently contorts his own perfect body into an approximation of each deformity. The piece de résistance is his depiction of the “wide slobbering aperture” that is Merrick’s mouth. Shaping his own mouth into a fleshy oval, the thesp gives expressive voice to the sensitive and intelligent human being imprisoned in his own body. It’s a stunning performance, deeply felt and very moving.
Here's a look at Cooper and his co-stars in the play. (All photos © Joan Marcus 2014.) Click here to purchase tickets.