Elf at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre

George Wendt in Elf

Ah, Christmas!  Is there a better time for crass commercialism?  Not for the producers of Elf, a new musical created with only one goal in mind: separating unwitting tourists and families from their hard-earned cash.  
This show was so uninspired that I can't bring myself to write a full review.  Here are the things that stood out:


PRODUCT PLACEMENT - Notice that bag of Doritos beside Santa in the above picture? That is from the 
opening scene.  Later there is an entire number devoted to the Magic of Macy's.


"LOCAL" JOKES - This show is obviously designed for a road tour.  As such, there are sections for "local" jokes.  Huge chunks of dialogue that will obviously be replaced with jokes about Topeka or Akron or wherever they decide to bleed the populace dry.  Here in New York this section included a joke about the large number of "Original Ray's Pizza" places in the city (and the location of the original.)  This type of worn-out joke is one of the show's signatures.


WASTED TALENT - Many talented people are involved in this terrible creation:  Casey Nicholaw (Director/Choreographer), Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin (Book), Amy Spanger, Beth Leavel, and George Wendt (to name just a few.)  Unfortunately, the show still feels like it was created by a committee of road tour producers.


"FAMILY FRIENDLY" - This is a family show, but I was surprised to hear a bit of cursing.  Perhaps it is PG?  The row in front of my own featured a few families with small children.  All of these children were dead asleep before intermission and their parents looked nearly as bored. For some reason the first act really dragged along. When intermission finally arrived I could not believe only an hour had passed.  It felt like an eternity.


ICE SKATING - And now for no reason, the chorus will ice skate in circles on a rink no bigger than a dining room table.  Then the principals will awkwardly try to finish their scene/musical number on the ice.  The audience (those who are still awake) will wonder if they are about to see someone break something.


UNDERLYING CREEPINESS - In the movie, Will Ferrell plays Buddy the non-elf elf as a child in a grown man's body.  Ferrell is famous for his ability to play these "man child" roles.  Sebastian Arcelus (who plays Buddy in the musical) will not become famous for the same.  It is not for want of trying... Arcelus is onstage and dripping with sweat from beginning to end.  It is just that there is something that feels a bit "off" about his Buddy.  It is no small feat to keep the "man child" character firmly in the land of heterosexuality (or at least asexuality) and the addition of a lot of singing and dancing in tights really stacks the deck against Mr. Arcelus.


HILARIOUS CHORUS - The chorus members of this show really seem to be having a blast. An obvious understudy for the Santa-bodied roles gamely dons his tights to join the kickline beside a past-her-prime former Vegas showgirl.  During one number a chorus member creates an entire emotional arc for his character from a blink-and-you'll-miss-it interaction with Buddy in the song's opening.  I know I was supposed to be watching the leads, but the chorus kept drawing my attention time and time again. Whether they are playing out mini dramas, throwing tinsel through the air, or dancing on their knees, this is a chorus that is making the most out of what it has been given. 


The show is still in previews so there is hope that it could improve.  Maybe that should be my Christmas wish!


Want to see for yourself?  Click here for tickets.