A Christmas Elf causes confusion
One would have to be a curmudgeon, or at the very least a real-life Scrooge, not to like ‘Elf’, the pleasantly innocuous musical that found its way back to Broadway just in time for this holiday season. With a book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin, music by Matthew Sklar and lyrics by Chad Beguelin, this amiable concoction loosely based on the 2003 film starring Will Ferrell and colorful like a fancy Christmas card, makes no pretense about its intended goal, which is to entertain and delight audiences, young and old.
The story is already familiar to fans of the film and of its stage treatment: Buddy, an orphan baby after his mother died, sneaked into Santa’s bag and was transported to the North Pole where Santa raised him as an elf. As he’s grown older (and bigger than the other elves), it becomes clear to all that he is different. When he is confronted with the reality of his human roots, Santa encourages him to go to New York City, where his real father, Walter, a book publisher, lives with his wife Emily and their son Michael who don’t believe in the spirit of Christmas. It will take Buddy a whole week and a solid determination to convince them otherwise. In the process, he will also meet a defiant young woman, Jovie, whose negative feelings about the spirit of the season and her own attitude toward men eventually melt like snow in the sun. She will become Buddy’s wife and the mother of their own little elf.
The good-natured moods of this easy-going story contribute largely to making the musical the charming, if a bit simple-minded, hit it has become over the years. The many topical references in the dialogue (Santa uses an iPad to keep his list of the gifts he has to distribute and watches the Peacock TV channel) and some lyrics (at one point Jovie sings about “the guy who stole my credit card”) may fly over the heads of younger members in the audience, but adults who might have thought this would be a “kiddie” entertainment respond to the jokes accordingly.
The bouncy score adds its own touch with the numbers created by Sklar and Beguelin going back to the days when musicals knew how to sing and dance just for the sheer pleasure of it. Some, like “Sparklejollytwinklejingley” or “A Christmas Song”, may bring to mind other more popular songs, like “Supercalifragisticexpialedocious” or “White Christmas,” but they are serviceable in the context and occasionally hummable.
What makes this surprisingly riveting musical particularly appealing is its lavish production, with the richly evocative settings by Tim Goodchild, also responsible for the bright colorful costumes, the special effects by Ian William Galloway & Mesmer Studios, and the lighting designs by Patrick Woodroffe, giving the entire show a seductive animated touch. The large ensemble manifests its own enthusiasm in great dance numbers choreographed by Liam Steel, with the entire production placed under Philip Wm. McKinley’s exciting direction.
As Buddy, Grey Henson dominates the proceedings with vibrant energy and a childish sense of humor, aptly seconded by Kayla Davion as Jovie, Michael Hayden as Buddy’s father, Ashley Brown as Emily, Sean Astin as Santa, and particularly the precocious Kai Edgar as young Michael. The cheerful Christmas celebration is positively diverting, profusely entertaining, and a beacon of good theater.
Musical Supervision: Alan Williams • Music Direction: Nate Patten • Choreographer: Liam Steel • Set and Costume Designer: Tim Goodchild • Lighting Design: Patrick Woodroffe • Sound Design: Gareth Owen und Peter Fitzgerald • Video Design: Ian William Galloway & Mesmer Studios • With: Grey Henson (Buddy), Kayla Davion (Jovie), Sean Astin (Santa), Kalen Allen (Hot Dog Vendor/Store Manager), Ashley Brown (Emily Hobbs), Michael Deaner (Little Boy), Kai Edgar (Michael Hobbs), Michael Hayden (Walter Hobbs), Jennifer Sánchez (Deb) and others
Cover photo: Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade