Almost Human follows the story of 'Tarzan', a chimpanzee captured in the wild and then passed from a circus to a zoo to an advertising agency and finally to a research laboratory where a momentous act of human kindness waits for him.
A piece of physical theatre, the performance uses no props or costumes, relying instead on the skill of its four-person cast. Kelvin Goodspeed, who played 'Tarzan', studied the work of Dr Jane Goodall and visited the chimps at Colchester Zoo to enable him to 'become' a chimp for his role.
Goodspeed met Dr Goodall and delighted her with his chimp behaviour. They also indulged in some mutual chimp grooming. "This excellent play will help the plight of the thousands of chimps being exploited by Man...I have no doubt that audiences will be enthralled and inspired," said Goodall.
Almost Human combines humour and pathos and embraces all aspects of animal welfare as well as human attitudes towards animals and the preservation of habitat. It is about the inhuman condition. Almost Human played at the Edinburgh Festival before touring.
Jane Goodall and Kelvin Goodspeed
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