Elf the Musical

Elf the Musical

Port Sunlight Players

30/11/24

We are welcomed to Elf the Musical by no other than Santa Claus himself (David Coleman) accompanied by Mrs Claus (Kathy Kennedy). Santa introduced us all to Buddy, whose iconic green and yellow elf outfit is a delight. Santa tells Buddy the story of his birth and parentage, realising he is not an Elf at all; which is at the heart of this endearing musical.

As Elf fans we all know the plot: Buddy has been raised as an Elf after crawling into Santa’s sack as a baby and winding up living at the North Pole. At the request of Santa, he heads to New York to track down his father Walter Hobbs, a hard-boiled publisher of children’s books. only to discover that his long-lost dad is a workaholic, his stepbrother doesn’t believe in Santa, and the city itself could do with a big dose of Christmas cheer. Buddy manages to bring disaster and cheer with him, while also finding love.

With this show in particular, the success very much relies on how the audience members connect to Buddy. While we all love Will Ferrell's portrayal of Buddy, Harvey Muirhead captures the essence of Buddy perfectly. The innocence, the humour, the wit he has it all. It's very rare that a singular actor carries a show, but he does just that. Buddy is, no doubt, the heart of the show. This was an accomplished performance from this very talented young man.

The show has all the sparkle and energy you could hope for from the North Pole, to Macey’s Department Store; where Buddy meets independent Jovie (Maddy Hughes) to the Rockefeller Centre; the set is wonderfully festive and staging simple but effective, great use of back projection. The costumes are fabulous the ensemble cast look fabulous in their elf hats and glittering winter outfits. Full marks to Director Emma Gorden for her perfect casting, production and stage crew. Musical Director Greg Williams, Assistant Director Sarah-Jane Aston, accompanist Nikki Ruscoe and choreographer Nicki Feeney. Lighting and Sound Lewis Bradley and James Fox.

Maddy Hughes voice is astonishingly good, her scenes with Buddy are charming. Walter’s assistant Deb (Sarah Malyj) is a joy her one liner’s are unmatched. The relationship between Emily, Buddy’s stepmother (Kate Yates) and Michael his young stepbrother (Oscar Henry) as mother and son was simply beautiful. The chemistry the pair had onstage was utterly believable. I also particularly enjoyed the idea that Walter wasn't an ogre just a grumpy overworked father, who was just trying to give his family the best life; you could really see his character soften as Buddy worked his Christmas magic, his performance was genuinely touching, beautifully portrayed by Jason Collinson. The principal players did a splendid job, Macey’s manager, (Jon Harvey), Chad (Matt Kasprzak), Wick (Chris McEvoy) and Mathew (Barry Dunne). Last but no means least is Gerry Johnston as Mr Greenway the owner of the publishing company, he was great, what a mover loved his performance. With songs by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, the score is catchy, upbeat, and full of heart. Numbers like ‘World’s Greatest Dad’ and ‘A Christmas Song’ are bound to stick in your head long after the curtain falls. The full adult and child ensemble numbers are particularly fun, with lively choreography and a joyful energy that sweeps you up and makes you want to sing along. Every member in this production gave their all, their smiling faces full of joy.

The atmosphere in The Gladstone Theatre was fantastic, the whole theatre was buzzing, with people humming the songs as they headed out into the chilly night. And, really, isn’t that what you want from a Christmas show? To leave with a bit more cheer than when you came in? The whole production felt like a Christmas card come to life.

Thank you, Port Sunlight Players, for a very special evening of live musical theatre. It was an amazing experience I will remember for some time..

 

Joanne Rymer

NODA

District 4

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.