FRANK AND THE ELEPHANTS IN FESTIVAL FINALE

Frank and the Elephants opens with a half price preview on Thursday, October 14th and runs for the next two weekends at the TNT Playhouse (corner of Ward and Carbonate). Tickets are $15 adults, $10 students available at the door. Showtime is 8 pm.

The true and very funny story of the 1926 Cranbrook elephant stampede is featured in the final presentation of this year’s Nelson Arts and Heritage Festival. Starring young local actor Cloud Edwards, the production is a remount of the play which won writer Richard Rowberry the 2004 Canadian One Act Play Competition.

“This is the story that got me started doing local history,” says Rowberry, “and I wanted to do it one more time before putting it away. I thought about playing it myself but really it needs a young actor and Cloud is a perfect Frank.”

While the story of the escape of six elephants from the Sells Floto Circus and the subsequent media frenzy that accompanied the search and fates of the various elephants is true –based on newspaper reports – Rowberry also added a fictional element in his hero Frank and his role in the 1926 federal election which was happening at the same time. “This was a very important election,” he explains, “with a constitutional crisis, a corruption scandal, and a minority government. It’s really interesting and pretty funny how nothing ever changes in Canadian politics!” The production also includes the use of almost 100 photographs and authentic newspaper clippings to illustrate the story.