Elf_Musical.jpg
Elf: The Musical opened at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre on Thursday. (Image courtesy Elf: The Musical - 5th Avenue Theatre)

Elf: The Musical debuts at 5th Avenue Theatre

BY Tom Tangney  on December 7, 2012 @ 10:05 am (Updated: 2:29 pm - 12/7/12 )

This is getting to be a tradition at the 5th Avenue this time of year - putting on a stage version of a popular Christmas movie. A couple of years ago, they did "White Christmas," last year it was the world premiere of musical version of "The Christmas Story" - which is playing Broadway this Christmas. And now we have "Elf: The Musical," based on the much-loved (at least in some circles) Will Ferrell movie.

So how is it? I think the answer is best summed up by the motto of the show's love interest Jovie, who explains her philosophy of life this way: lower your expectations, and you won't be so disappointed.

If you go in expecting it to be as funny as the movie or as musically rich as, say, "White Christmas," you're just setting yourself up. But if all you're really after is a brightly colored Christmas-y show, with Christmas trees and Christmas elves, a Macy's North Pole, a real Santa's workshop and, of course, Santa and his flying sleigh - then Elf: The Musical is for you. It wasn't so much for me, nor my 12-year-old niece either.

If you've never seen the movie, or have simply forgotten, Buddy the Elf is a 6'2, 30-year-old elf who can't seem to get the hang of making Santa's toys. It turns out he's not an elf at all but a human who stowed away in Santa's sack as an infant and was raised at the North Pole. When he finds that out, he goes in search of his Dad in New York City - who of course doesn't believe in Santa. His Dad's new family, a stepmom and a stepbrother, also don't believe, until about two-thirds of the way through the show when they come around.

As for how it compares to the movie, it's tough to replicate the distinctive charm of Will Ferrell on stage. But Matt Owen does a decent enough job, I'd say. Some of the favorite funny bits from the movie are left out - the burp scene and the singing in the shower scene - but there's still the fight with the fake Santa at Macy's and of course, maple syrup on spaghetti.

The best thing about the entire production for me was the set design, which pays homage to those charmingly crude Rankin and Bass TV Christmas specials like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Elf plays through December 31st at the Fifth Avenue Theater.

Tom Tangney, KIRO Radio Host
Tom Tangney is co-host of KIRO Radio's Seattle's Morning News and resident enthusiast of...everything. He loves books, movies, TV, art, pop culture, politic, sports, and Husky football.
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Comments (4)


  • Add A Comment

  • daveyj wrote...
    Market Theater
    December 7, 2012 10:50 am
    You should go to the Market Theater and see "An Improvised Christmas Carol". They do a fantastic job re-creating the story with audience suggestions for different ailments for Tiny Tim and What business Scrooge runs. It is family friendly and has been a fun tradition for mine for the last few years.
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  • hawks$life wrote...
    opening?
    December 7, 2012 11:30 am
    if last night was opening night how come my girlfriend and her sister went last SUNDAY? someone here is full of due-due.
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  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    What the heck???
    December 8, 2012 11:31 am
    In my humble opinion, Anyone that considered the movie 'ELF' to be funny needs to visit thier local mental health professional immediately! I can see why the musical isn't very good - because you can't rescue a pathetic Will Farrell vehicle by adding music and performing it live. Will Farrell is about as funny as a tooth extraction without painkillers - and his movies are even less funny than he is.
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  • manabouttown wrote...
    I would consider going to see this, but.....
    December 13, 2012 7:54 am
    I would consider going to see this, but it is way too expensive. For balcony top rows, each seat costs something like $175 !! Front row, well into $300 ! I enjoyed Elf, the movie, so what the heck, thought this would be fun to see, but not at these crazy prices. And marinesgt, you should lighten up a bit. Learn to laugh at silly stuff. This musical wasn't an opportunity for you to explain why you don't like Will Farrell. He's not in this play.
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