With its two endearing life-size puppets—an elephant mother and her baby—and its African rhythms, "Elephant" could almost be mistaken for a 75-minute outtake from "The Lion King." But this collaboration between the Dodgy Clutch theater company of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, and the Market Theatre of Johannesburg, South Africa has its own authentic identity as an ingratiating piece of family entertainment. While the folk-tale narrative at times get a little muddled, with flashbacks colliding into flashbacks, the message registers tellingly: In mankind's respect for the noble creature of the title can be found a measure of our humanity.
As the show opens, its main character and narrator tells us how man and elephant once shared the land and even their dreams. He also introduces himself as the ghost of Chief Zanenvula, on his way to heaven. But once there, he's denied admission by the heavenly powers and told to review his life to find the reason why. Zanenvula then does so with the help of a devilish guy named Lucky Louis, who's intent on taking Zanenvula to another spot for eternity. It seems that the chief was an elephant hunter, while his brother, with whom he always felt great competition, had great affinity for elephants, even speaking their language. In the stunning conclusion, we see Zanenvula, in a fit of sibling jealousy, unload his rifle, felling the two aforementioned puppets. But he has an epiphany: "The more I kill, the weaker I become." In his grieving chant, he finds redemption, and the elephants rise again.
Beyond the puppetry, much of the show's appeal lies in the ear-filling piquancy of the music and the high-energy dancing. The music is credited to Brendan Murphy, John Alder, and the cast. As the main dancers, Thabang Ramaila, as the young Zanenvula, and Zamuxolo Mgoduka, as his brother, are impressive. They created the show's choreography, along with Tim Rubidge. Among other principals, Nhlanhla Mahlangu is an affable older Zanenvula, and Pady O'Connor makes an appropriately untrustful Lucky Louis. O'Connor does double duty as the puppeteer, bringing the mother elephant to affecting life, and Sarah Riley enacts a totally adorable baby elephant. The colorful costumes and lighting also add substantially to the vibrancy of the production, which is conceived, designed, and directed, all with apparently elephant-sized affection, by Ozzie Riley.
Presented by the New 42nd Street at the New Victory Theater, 209 W. 42nd St., NYC. April 24–May 2. Thu. and Fri., 7 p.m.; Sat., 2 and 7 p.m.; Sun., noon and 5 p.m. (646) 223-3010 or www.newvictory.org.