The Elephant Song

The Elephant Song is a Canadian stage play by Nicolas Billon,[1] first presented in 2002 with a reading at Infinitheatre, Montreal. It is about events following the sudden disappearance of a psychiatrist, Dr. Lawrence, from a mental institution and possible involvement of a young patient of the hospital, Michael, in the disappearance.

This article is about Canadian play. For film adaptation, see Elephant Song (film). For song by Kamahl, see The Elephant Song (song). For other uses, see Elephant Song.

Michael is a disturbed son of an opera singer and a distant father he has only seen once. The elephant connection is when in their sole meeting together in a nature reserve, the father kills an elephant in front of his son. The incident traumatizes the very young Michael. So does his mother's cold attitude and her distancing herself from him for a singing career.

Toby Green, an independent psychiatrist is assigned to investigate Michael's involvement as Michael draws the doctor into a psychological mind game involving his past experiences with parents, with Michael claiming he was the cause of his mother's death as he refused to call an ambulance and sang instead the "elephant song" to her until she died on the floor. He discusses the circumstances of his forced stay in the hospital, he hints to doctor-patient improper relationships involving him and his supervising doctor, and a bizarre relationship with the head nurse. Michael's ploys include an attempt to negotiate an early release from hospital, etc. with his plot ending in great tragedy when he finally convinces the investigating doctor to hand him a box of chocolates. Being strongly allergic to them, he dies in the hands of the doctor and the head nurse after having consumed a number of the chocolates he acquired.

The Elephant Song was played on stage in Montreal multiple times, also in Stratford and St. John's and internationally in Australia, USA, England and Turkey.[2]

Presentations
in Canada[2]
  • 2002: Reading at Infinitheatre, Montreal, Canada
  • 2003: Reading at Stratford Festival of Canada, Stratford, Canada
  • 2004: Play at Stratford Festival of Canada, Stratford, Canada
  • 2005: Play at Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui, Montreal, Canada
  • 2007: Play at Infinitheatre, Montreal, Canada
  • 2008: Play at Beothuk Street Players, St-John's, Canada
  • 2010: Play at Théâtre Meka, Montreal, Canada
international
  • 2007: Play at Cairns Little Theatre, Cairns, Australia
  • 2008: Reading at hotINK International Festival, New York City, USA
  • 2008: Reading at Workshop Theater Company, New York City, USA
  • 2009: Reading at Crossing the Divide Festival, London, England
  • 2011: Play at Bakehouse Theatre Company, Adelaide, Australia
  • 2013–14: Play at Théâtre du Petit Montparnasse, Paris, France
  • 2015: Play at Ali Poyrazoğlu Theatre, Istanbul, Turkey
  • 2015: Play at Suhyeonjae Theatre, Seoul, Korea
  • 2016: Play at DCF DaeMyung Theatre, Seoul, Korea

Publications
  • La Chanson de l’Éléphant (French) by Éditions Lémeac (August 2005, ISBN 2-7609-0394-X)[2]
  • The Elephant Song (English) by Playwrights Canada Press (June 2006, ISBN 0-88754-846-6)

Film adaptation
Main article: Elephant Song (film)

The play was adapted into a drama film directed by Charles Binamé and released in 2014.[3] with Bruce Greenwood as Toby Green, Xavier Dolan as Michael. The film premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.[1]

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References
  1. "TIFF 2014 to screen Xavier Dolan and Denys Arcand films". CBC News, August 6, 2014.
  2. Nicolas Billion website - The Elephant Song page
  3. "Toronto Film Review: ‘Elephant Song’". Variety, September 15, 2014.
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