Everyone’s favourite festive Elf, Buddy, is all set to entertain audiences once again as the smash-hit show, Elf The Musical, embarks on a seventh tour due to public demand.
Elf The Musical, which tells the story of Buddy’s journey from Santa’s North Pole toy grotto to the bustling streets of Manhattan as he searches for his long lost family, comes to Wolverhampton Grand from 11-16 November, starring one of the UK’s most exciting dare-devil comedy talents, Jordan Conway.
The 27-year-old, actor, comedian and filmmaker, who recently starred as Peter Pan opposite Boy George’s Captain Hook, steps back into the iconic floppy shoes and green tunic having played Buddy The Elf in four countries across the world and in two Royal Command Performances and says he can’t wait to entertain audiences at Wolverhampton Grand, a theatre that holds a special place in his heart.
Conway explains, “It’s my first visit as a performer to The Grand, but my dad used to produce and write The Chuckle Brothers Shows and he also wrote Boogie Nights – The Musical. I recall first coming here to see those shows as a kid and being amazed at how close the whole audience were to the stage. And it was always full.”
With a book by Bob Martin and Thomas Meehan and an original score by Matt Sklar and Chad Beguelin, the Christmas musical spectacular is a heartwarming, family-friendly stage adaptation of the much loved holiday film. The title originally premiered on Broadway before delighting audiences in the West End, and has been re-staged to tour the UK.
Packed with catchy songs, dazzling choreography and laugh-out-loud comedy, Elf The Musical is directed by legendary producer Jon Conway and features an audience snowball fight, a giant candy cane journey from the North Pole, spectacular video backdrops on a gigantic digital screen, colourful costumes, energetic performances and a host of magical moments, including Santa Claus himself, soaring high above the stage in his sleigh.
Conway, who as well as starring in the show co-produces it with his father, Jon, says, “I love working with my dad. 97 per cent of the time we are on the same wavelength as I’ve grown up learning from him, but I’ve also learned how I can change things a little bit as well, the nucleus of each idea comes from him, I just put a little bit of icing and a cherry on it.”
It’s one of the reasons he loves working on Elf, he adds, “Buddy The Elf is a truly iconic character and I love playing him. It’s always a heart-warming and hilarious night out when he’s in town and Wolverhampton is in for a treat. One of the best sights for me is seeing the audiences all dressed up for the show, especially the dads in their Elf Christmas sweaters.”
He continues, “But to be completely honest, the whole gig is great. The one thing I really look forward to each night is running around the stalls and causing chaos in the auditorium. Buddy possesses so many childlike qualities and I love embodying this. I like making people forget about their daily lives and escape through performance. A day without laughter is a day wasted.”
With so much audience participation, the unexpected can happen during a performance and often does, reveals Conway. He recalls, “Last year there was a ‘cop car’, which was actually a decorated golf buggy, I saw this out of the corner of my eye and ran off stage, picked up a few kids and drove them around the arena floor mid show.
“That wasn’t the best bit though, that was the two kids in the front of the car who were feeding me sweets as we drove around. I then had four other kids chasing the ‘cop car’ trying to pass me sweets, which they continued to do throughout the rest of the show. I think it’s pretty obvious to say, for this reason, the ‘cop car’ very quickly got pulled from future performances.”
Not that Conway missed the fun prop when it was gone, his natural high energy performance levels allow him to get about the stage and auditorium just as fast without it. It’s a pretty physical role, but then he does have a strict fitness regime, even when he is on tour.
He says, “I’m actually a Level 3 Personal Trainer; any future customers please contact my agent. No don’t, I’m only joking. But yes you can always find me at the gym and I fly to Hungary every other month for aerial training too.”
His trips to Hungary mean that as well as keeping the laughs coming, Conway also wows audiences with his cirque skills. “I’ve been training at the Hungarian State Circus school for some time now, where I have also learned to fly on an aerial strap like the Cirque du Soleil stars,” he says, adding, “That was just amazing.”
Right now though, it’s bringing the magic of Buddy The Elf to the stage that the performer is focussing on. And as the show, which has so far enjoyed six sell-out arena and theatre tours, prepares to hit the road once again, he has a word of advice for audiences of all ages coming to see the Elf The Musical.
“Dress up as your favourite character or look out your matching Christmas jumpers and wear them… especially if you are a dad.”
Full tour dates and tickets here.
Commissioned for Wolverhampton Grand Spotlight Brochure
