West End Elf Star Ben Forster on Christmas Shopping, Superstar and Buddy vs. The Phantom

Ben Forster played Magaldi in the most recent West End revival of Evita and is poised to take over as the Phantom in London in the New Year, but through the holiday season he can be found leading the company at the Dominion Theatre of Elf, playing Buddy, which was originated onscreen in 2003 by Will Ferrell. Broadway.com caught up with the reality TV star to talk Christmas shopping, Andrew Lloyd Webber and more.

Were you surprised to be offered this role in Elf?
Yes, but I’m quite pleased with the way it has turned out. What’s great is that I feel free to do my own version and not have to copy Will [Ferrell] from the film or anything like that. For me, this is about doing it honestly and trusting in the humor as written and not trying to get a laugh.

What’s your take on Buddy?
The thing with Buddy is that he’s just a human being who was taken to the North Pole by mistake. He’s childlike, to be sure, but I almost think the comedy is funnier if he is just a normal bloke who looks as if he could actually be working in an office. In the movie, Will looks as if he could be a barrister or a doctor.

And you get to wear a pretty out-there costume.
I’ve got this crazily green, woolen suit, which is made of authentic wool so it’s ridiculously hot. I know a couple of the Broadway actors who played the part were a little bit bigger, but Will wasn’t big in the movie so I think this kind of works.

Sounds intense!
It is, but [the costume] also means I can have a rocky road ice cream between shows without feeling guilty.

How’s your American accent?
I think it’s all right, or let’s just say that I haven’t had any complaints. I’ve done a number of shows in the past where I’ve had dialect coaches, so I’ve spent a lot of time on the accent and because I’m from the north of England, it can be quite difficult to do a standard English accent whereas sounding American is so different that I can kind of slip into that more easily.

Elf is a Christmas show. Have you ever spent Christmas in New York?
No, my God, I would love to! I’ve done Christmas shopping in New York, which was lovely but it didn’t snow. I’ve always wanted to do that whole romantic thing of being there in the snow. I really love New York.

Speaking of Christmas, aren’t you amazed at the volume of holiday-themed decorations and merchandise on view in London already?
I think some of the shops do it from September but that’s because we get cold early; it gives us an extra license because our winters are a bit longer and a bit colder than most places in the world.

Have you done your Christmas shopping for this year?
Ha! I’m not a very organized person. I’ll be the one running about between shows on Christmas Eve.

How do you feel about seguing directly from this to The Phantom of the Opera?
That will be a welcome change! With Buddy I’m on stage for virtually the whole show with barely any time off whereas the Phantom has less stage time, but is of course hugely demanding in its own way. There’s a lot of pressure that comes from taking on that role.

Have you sought advice from any previous Phantoms?
Mark McKerracher who plays Santa Claus in Elf was a past Phantom and when I told him about it, he said, “You’re going to love it; the Phantom was one of my most favorite jobs I’ve ever done.” And I know John Owen Jones; I think he’ll be a big inspiration when I get into that world.

What’s your particular history with Phantom?
I saw it in the West End when I was 10 or 11. It was the first musical that I’d ever seen apart from amateur dramatics. I remember turning to my mum when we got back on the coach to go home and saying, “This is what I want to do.” It felt magical as a child and it’s magical as an adult, as well.

What do you think Buddy would do if he were to meet the Phantom?
I think he would jump on the chandelier and try to take the Phantom out! He wouldn’t just watch; he would dress as Christine and try and help out.

What do you think would have happened in your own career if you hadn’t won Superstar on Britain's ITV?
The honest answer is that I probably wouldn’t be doing this anymore. I love the business and being an actor and a singer and I had had a lovely career since I was 18, but I had got to the point where I was 31 or 32 and was playing the lead in Thriller Live and yet still couldn’t get seen for Broadway shows coming to London or for a big new musical. Superstar shone a spotlight in my face and opened doors that otherwise would not have been opened.

Do you think the TV show also intensified audience interest in theater?
Yes, and like I say, it’s all about recruiting more interest in our business. Anything that does that is a positive.