Elf (Day 3)

Yesterday, we looked at "The Scottsboro Boys" by Kander and Ebb, a musical which had an all-star pedigree and huge critical acclaim, but closed sooner than expected. Today, we look a very different show: "Elf," by Thomas Meehan, Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin. In addition to looking at the show in itself, we will also consider the pros and cons of "Christmas musicals."

Let's face it: you'd probably have to live under a rock to not know the story of "Elf" by now. Based on one of the most successful Christmas movies of the past decade, the musical tells the story of Buddy Hobbs, a human raised as an elf who journeys to New York City to meet the human family he never knew he had. As the story goes on, narrated by a rather crotchety Santa, Buddy spreads Christmas cheer and a new understanding of the meaning of family to his cynical relatives and their friends.

The cast for this show seemed hit-or-miss, though perhaps that was because of the iconic performance of Will Ferrell as Buddy in the movie. Lead actor Sebastian Arcelus has big shoes to fill, literally and metaphorically, but an actor of his type will be automatically at a disadvantage. Granted, Arcelus is an extremely winning performer- his Buddy is goofy, naive, childlike and a little bit fey, to the point where he seems to be channeling sketch-comic-cum-Broadway-star Martin Short for most of the show. However, the simple fact that he appears winsome, childlike and fey as Buddy countercuts one of the movie's inherent visual jokes- a slim, youthful-looking Buddy is much less funny and absurd than a paunchy, hairy, visibly ADULT Buddy, which was what Will Ferrell brought to the table with the same amount of childlike innocence.

Amy Spanger plays Jovie, the female lead played by Zooey Deschanel in the film. Here, also, is a case of a game performer not being able to live up to expectations. One of the best-remembered things about the film is the scene in which Jovie sings "Baby, It's Cold Outside," revealing her fantastic singing voice. When Spanger sings in the show, not only is it not such a revelation due to the musical genre, but her voice is still a bit fried from "Rock of Ages," a show she left to take vocal rest. George Wendt, as Santa Claus, seems visibly out of breath the whole show every time he is called upon to walk or dance, though is introductory monologue (in which Santa takes a moment at the start of the show to turn off his cell phone and open his candies so as not to distract himself during the show) brought down the house.

Though the cast itself was sometimes a disappointment, the show was certainly not bad by any means. Frequently very funny, it took to the stage very well- if you didn't know there had been a movie, it would still seem like a fun Christmas show. Despite this, there were a few problems inherent in the show's material itself. First, the lines that got the biggest laughs were in-jokes about New York, or current-events references that seemed almost improvised on the spot (a Charlie Sheen joke, a bit with Santa's new iPad, an extended riff on Tivo at the North Pole). Touring, regional and especially community productions of the show may suffer if the topical jokes are not updated, or the New York references prove not as funny outside Times Square. Second, and most importantly, this is a Christmas show.

The market can only support a Christmas show once a year, in the crucial November-early January time slot. In addition, it can only support ONE Christmas show a year. Broadway is a much smaller market than film, where several Christmas would-be blockbusters can duke it out over the Christmas season at the box office. To have "Elf" and, say, "White Christmas" running simultaneously would be counterproductive- their earnings would cancel each other out, and producers are thus more likely to make the smart decision to invest in a year-round show than put up a SECOND holiday extravaganza. The limited possible play time per year is the biggest con against Christmas shows... but there IS a pro. People seem to love holiday entertainment. Christmas specials, Christmas movies- when the winter weather hits and the media commercial blitz begins, people get in the mood for a Christmas show, and believe it or not, there aren't very many Christmas shows to pick from. Take a look:

MAJOR CHRISTMAS MUSICALS ABOUT CHRISTMAS OR CHRISTMASSY THEMES:
A Christmas Carol
Elf
White Christmas
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Holiday Inn (a variant on "White Christmas")
Miracle on 34th Street (originally produced as "Here's Love")
Radio City Christmas Spectacular (if you happen to be Radio City Music Hall)
A Christmas Story
The Nightmare Before Christmas

CHRISTMAS MUSICALS ONLY ASSOCIATED CULTURALLY WITH CHRISTMAS:
The Wizard Of Oz
The Sound Of Music
Annie (has a Christmas scene at the end, which is not very memorable anyway)
Beauty And The Beast
Stinkfoot

With odds like those, what can you lose writing a new Christmas show? If it doesn't suck, SOMEONE will probably produce it, and if it gets produced, people will eventually come. And "Elf," despite a critical ravaging, doesn't suck. It isn't great, but it's good, even though many of its best moments feel rather derivative. During the North Pole scenes, for instance, the actors dance on their knees with feet attached to knee pads, a la Lord Farquaad in "Shrek." Later scenes in the office recall both "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and "How To Succeed" in choreography and direction. Perhaps the only completely original moment in the show is the final sight gag of the show, in which a full-cast tap battle is won by an unseen baby in a stroller. Was it brilliant? Heck, no. Was it original? Probably. Did I like it anyway! Criticize me if you wish, but it made me laugh, and smile, and feel Christmassy, even in dreary, humid, overcast May. Ho ho ho, and to all a good night.

Elf: B-

LESSON FOR ACTORS: Stay in shape! Shows like "Elf" will sometimes make unusual physical demands, such as ice skating or being able to dance long tap numbers entirely on your knees. The more flexible and physically fit you remain, the easier getting into and staying in such casts will be.

WARNING FOR ACTORS: Never underestimate the power of your character voice. Playing the Macy's manager, Michael Mandell employs an extremely over-the-top character voice of "big, bombastic black man" in the Tyler Perry style. He does not alter this characterization at all as a mall Santa in Act 2, making the impact of both characters slightly less.

LESSON FOR WRITERS: Make sure to think of unusual and pleasing ways to do ordinary, cliched things when you absolutely have to do them. Rather than make a dry pre-show announcement, or even a quirky, individualized one, the writers chose to incorporate the house rules speech into Santa's opening monologue, far enough into the scene that rather than eliciting groans from the audience, it got laughs instead.

WARNING FOR WRITERS: Be careful when going for a cheap laugh- think how well the joke will age if it's produced again. "Elf" was only booked for last Christmas, but did well enough that it will be back this coming holiday season- but how will jokes about iPads and Charlie Sheen play a year removed from the premiere?