Broadway Reviews Theatre Review by Howard Miller - November 17, 2024 Elf. Book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin. Music by Matthew Sklar. Lyrics by Chad Beguelin. Based upon the New Line Cinema film written by David Berenbaum. Directed by Philip Wm. McKinley. Music supervisor, additional arrangements and orchestrations by Alan Williams. Choreography by Liam Steel. Scenic and costume design by Tim Goodchild. Lighting design by Patrick Woodroffe. Sound design by Gareth Owen and Peter Fitzgerald. Video design by Ian William Galloway, Mesmer Studios. Hair and wig design by Sam Cox. Orchestrations by Doug Besterman. Dance arrangements by David Chase. Vocal arrangements by Phil Reno. Music director Nate Patten. Music coordinator Michael Aarons. Associate director Dave Solomon. Associate choreographer Richard J. Hinds.
This is the third Broadway run for Elf (the others were in 2010 and 2012), with a book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin, music by Matthew Sklar, and lyrics by Chad Beguelin. If you are not familiar with the musical, perhaps you know the film on which it is based. And if you are a fan already, there's nothing more for me to say other than, yes, you should go see it again. Take the kids or grandkids, go with friends, or go alone. I'm pretty sure even Ebenezer Scrooge and the Grinch would wind up happily grinning despite themselves. But first a confession: I am new to Elf in any of its renditions, including the 2003 movie written by David Berenbaum and starring Will Ferrell as Buddy, the honorary Santa's helper of the title. Up to now, my assumption has been that this would be a cloying and corny Christmas tale that ought to be skipped by anyone past the age of 12. I take it back. A quick plot summary for initiates: Buddy (a delightfully goofy Grey Henson) has spent the first thirty years of his life living at the North Pole, just another one of Santa's elves, albeit an unusually tall one. In this production, Santa is played by Sean Astin, who makes a little quip about hobbits in case we don't recall that it was he who played the character of Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. As for Buddy, he only has just learned that he is actually a human, accidentally transported to Christmas Town in Santa's sack as an infant. For three decades he has lived very happily among the other elves, but once he knows the truth, he heads south to New York City in search of his father. There the tale unfolds.
From the time that optimistic, outgoing, and friendly Buddy lands in New York in search of his dad, the inner logic of the story unfolds about as neatly as you'll ever find in the plot of a musical, in which the songs and the dances (choreographed by Liam Steel, who did the honors for Marianne Elliott's gender-swapped Company) and the plot all work together to bring the story to life. No irony. No nudge nudge wink wink. Just a delightful story about finding one's place in the world, told with joy and genuine humor that is never at any character's expense. Director Philip Wm. McKinley keeps things moving at a fast clip that emphasizes physical comedy over, say, the sophistication of farce, and the cast fulfills that approach with great élan. Michael Hayden plays Buddy's workaholic father, who has a lesson to be learned about what really is important in life. Ashley Brown and a delightful Kai Edgar are Buddy's stepmother and stepbrother, and Kayla Davion is excellent as Buddy's new girlfriend Jovie, who, feeling abandoned at one point, sings a terrific rendition of "Never Fall in Love (with an Elf)." But, really, the entire ensemble gleams. No one will ever suggest that Elf is one of the all-time great musicals. The story it tells is a simple one, delivering a message of good cheer. But if there ever was a need for good cheer in the theater, this is it. Go, and I can pretty much guarantee you will have yourself a grand "sparklejollytwinklejingley" time.
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