Elephant: A Comedy

by Ivan Faute

Elephant is a single act comedy that explores how familial dysfunction contributes to our dysfunction with and our success in life. As Gloria Billough prepares to meet yet another boyfriend of her oldest daughter and middle child Susan, she wonders what problems this one will bring with him. Sending her daughter to Africa to follow up on art therapy seemed like a good option. She has enough to deal with her...

Elephant is a single act comedy that explores how familial dysfunction contributes to our dysfunction with and our success in life. As Gloria Billough prepares to meet yet another boyfriend of her oldest daughter and middle child Susan, she wonders what problems this one will bring with him. Sending her daughter to Africa to follow up on art therapy seemed like a good option. She has enough to deal with her kleptomaniac and manic youngest daughter Effie and her incompetent maid ChiChi, Gloria curses her husband's absence at yet another business trip. When Susan arrives alone, the evening promises to end in disaster. Susan, however, is soon followed by her proclaimed fiancé Han, who just happens to be an elephant. Not a metaphorical one but a literal, actual, two-ton elephant. Unsure how to respond, the family is thrown into further chaos when the oldest son Solton shows up from South America where he has been hiding out from eco-terrorism charges. With most of the family convened, aside from father, old wounds and accusations emerge. Past and present sins emerge, and, as each member's wrongdoings, selfishness and self-interest emerge, the family ponders, what does it mean to guilty? Or the guiltiest? Secrets are revealed about everyone's crimes, legal or moral, and the equilibrium of the family dysfunction is shattered. Despite the accusations and incriminations, the family must pull together to face the greater threat, the power of The Man.

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Elephant: A Comedy

Recommended by

  • David Hansen: Elephant: A Comedy

    "Elephant" is an outrageous condemnation of moneyed East Coast liberals, depicting a world in which it is difficult to discern exactly who is complicit in the destruction of the planet, until you realize it's pretty much everyone, including the (literal) elephant in the room. White people are insane and they are ruining everything. Not sure there is any argument against that at the moment. Awesome script!

    "Elephant" is an outrageous condemnation of moneyed East Coast liberals, depicting a world in which it is difficult to discern exactly who is complicit in the destruction of the planet, until you realize it's pretty much everyone, including the (literal) elephant in the room. White people are insane and they are ruining everything. Not sure there is any argument against that at the moment. Awesome script!

Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization Sandbox, Windy City Playhouse, Year 2017
  • Type Reading, Organization Playlab, Last Frontier Theatre Workshop, Year 2016
  • Type Reading, Organization Portsmouth Theater Lab, Year 2015

Awards

  • Association for Theatre in Higher Education Award of Excellence in Playwriting
    Association for Theatre in Higher Education
    Finalist
    2017