ELF, The Musical, which is based on the popular 2003 film with Will Ferrell, was last seen at the Dominion Theatre in 2015 when it did extremely well at the box office. Elf The Musical is now back, just for the Christmas period, and is strongly recommended.
The book is by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin. The music is by Matthew Sklar. The lyrics are by Chad Baguelin
Buddy, an orphan, has been brought up by Father Christmas and thinks he is an elf like everybody else in the North Pole. When he learns he is human, he travels to New York to find his biological father, a publisher of children’s books, and falls in love with a girl who works in a department store and is dressed like an elf.
Philip Wm McKinley’s lively and wholesome production is notable for its extremely efficient scene-changes. (There are nineteen of them in all.) Tim Goodchild’s pleasant scenery is much enhanced by Ian William Galloway’s classy animation on a big screen behind the actors. The fast scene-changes and Liam Steel’s exuberant choreography drive the show and give it its feelgood energy.
Elf The Musical gets off to a jolly start with the elves singing and dancing. (The dancers are on their knees and their legs are hidden under a cloak.) There’s a rousing song in the second act from a gang of Santa performers complaining nobody cares about Santa. There is also a magical Christmassy optical illusion when it seems as if the stage and auditorium are filled with falling snow.
Simon Lipkin is everything that Buddy should be: childish and childlike, good-hearted and funny and very likeable. He has fun with handbells all over his body and an amusing contretemps when he accuses a Santa performer of being a fake. Lipkin has a big success.
Georgina Castle plays the department store elf, Buddy falls in love with, which is an understandable thing for Buddy to do; but it may feel a bit kinky when she ignores her own advice (Don’t fall in love with an elf) and she not only falls in love but actually marries the man-child and has a baby by him.
There is an excellent performance from Logan Clark, an experienced and talented child actor, who plays Buddy’s half-brother. Clark has a nice duet with Rebecca Long, who plays his mum. Tom Chambers plays his dad.
One final thing. You do believe in Santa Claus, don’t you? Just checking. Elf The Musical is the perfect Christmas treat for the whole family.
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