‘Elf’ is infectious musical adaptation of film

HO, HO, HO: Sebastian Arcelus in the holiday musical ‘Elf.’ Photo: Joan Marcus

By David NouNou

I know this is an unorthodox way of writing a review, but I ask my readers to indulge me on this one. Waking up this morning (Friday) and knowing I had to face another birthday tomorrow (Saturday), and also knowing I had to review Elf, seemed like a grim prospect for me. I felt like a combination of Waldo Lydecker (Clifton Webb’s role in the 1944 film noir Laura) and Addison DeWitt (no explanation needed here). Not a pretty picture. I never saw the 2003 hit movie with Will Farrell of the same name, so I had no preconceived notion.

Once at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, I was surrounded by revelers in green Elf hats and kids of all ages. Next to me sat a girl of about eight or nine who resembled Olive from Little Miss Sunshine, polite and well mannered.  She was waiting in anticipation for the show to begin. The show started with an overture (I’m still one of the people fond of overtures).  It was bright and peppy. The curtain went up, and there sat Norm Peterson; sorry, I meant George Wendt, as Santa (so far, two balls, no strikes), who told us the story of Buddy the Elf. Suddenly, Sebastian Arcelus appeared, all 6’3″ of him in the personage of Elf. The girl next to me was thrilled beyond belief and giddy with joy. Through her merriment, I allowed myself  the opportunity to see it through her eyes and remembered what it felt like to see my very first musical on Broadway. Granted, in my time the musical I saw had 53 people in the cast (yes, I still have all my Playbills), but due to the times and economic reasons, this cast consists of 20. Ah, the evils of downsizing. However, it did not diminish the joy and pleasure  I derived from watching Elf. And for two hours, I allowed myself to be a kid and forgot that, the next day,
I was turning___.  And to that little girl, I am very grateful for enabling me to enjoy a simple pleasure of life.

Most people who will see Elf will undoubtedly be familiar with the plot. An overgrown 30-year- old innocent from the North Pole is sent to New York City to find his father, Walter Hobbs (Mark Jacoby). Upon finding his father at the office, a hard-nosed workaholic, with no time for his family, Buddy discovers he has a step mom (Beth Leavel) and a half brother Michael, uncloyingly portrayed by Matthew Gumley. Along the way, while working at Macy’s, he also finds a girlfriend, Jovie (the lovely Amy Spanger). Of course, complications do arise as Buddy tries to adjust to his new life in New York, and that’s what makes it so much fun. In the course of his travails, Buddy discovers that New Yorkers have lost their belief in Santa and the Christmas cheer, and it is his obligation to bring it all back.

On all accounts, this musical is a good show. It has a likeable and solid book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin. The score by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin (they wrote the musical adaptation of The Wedding Singer) is joyful and bubbly, but is not exactly memorable. There are two songs that stick to you: “The Story of Buddy the Elf” tries to be an old-fashioned showstopper, and “A Christmas Song” (hopefully, an artist will record it and it could be a new standard). However, there isn’t a whole lot of imagination and originality to the direction and choreography by Casey Nicholaw. The cast, headed by Sebastian Arcelus as Buddy, is pure delight. Amy Spanger, as his girlfriend, is in great voice, and it is a pity she is underutilized. Beth Leavel brings her usual charm as Buddy’s stepmother, and Matthew Gumley as Buddy’s brother Michael is endearing and talented. Let’s not forget that George Wendt does appear as Norm Peterson in a Santa suit. He played a Santa in a terrific episode of “Cheers.”

Elf has a lot of holiday cheer to offer and is genuinely fun, and hopefully it will resurface again next year for the holiday season. However, note to the powers-that-be: please, next time add a few more elves/revelers to the cast in the production scenes. It will fill a lot of the empty spots on the stage, and will show more people involved in the production numbers, be it at The North Pole in Central Park or Rockefeller Center.

Published November 20, 2010
Reviewed at Press Performance on November 19, 2010