Danny Nattrass is performing at the Aldwych Theatre in the West End as Ensemble in Elf the Musical, working alongside Joel Montague as Buddy (who Danny understudies), Carrie Hope Fletcher as Jovie and Aled Jones MBE as Walter Hobbs, with the hugely-popular musical open until Saturday 3rd January 2026, and it is the stage adaptation of the 2003 film starring Will Ferrell. Prior to Elf the Musical, Danny had recently finished playing Harry Beaton in the 2025 London revival of Brigadoon at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, where he was directed by Drew McOnie, and in the 2024/25 European Tour of Grease, Danny played Kenickie before taking over the role of Danny Zuko. In the world premiere of Ben Elton’s Close Up – The Twiggy Musical, Danny understudied Justin de Villenueve at the Menier Chocolate Factory, and he previously played Alternate Galileo in We Will Rock You at the London Coliseum. For the world premiere National Tour of The Osmonds: A New Musical, Danny originated the role of Wayne Osmond, with Jay Osmond involved with the musical, and just before rehearsals, he was working with Donny Osmond in Pantoland at the Palladium. Further shows for Danny are Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as understudy Joseph at The London Palladium, which was his return to live theatre after the coronavirus pandemic in 2021, and he made his professional and West End debut when he played Pepper in MAMMA MIA! at the Novello Theatre. Answering our questions, Danny told us about being in the Ensemble and understudy Buddy in Elf the Musical, being part of the London revival of Brigadoon at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and his time in Grease and The Osmonds: A New Musical.
Was there anything that drew you to Elf the Musical and how has it been joining the show for this year’s run at the Aldwych Theatre in the West End?
I was offered to perform the show when the production was playing at the Dominion Theatre in 2023 but didn’t end up doing the show so I jumped at the opportunity when it came around again this year! It’s a show that’s always had a pull for me as I know people who have done the show before that have said they had an amazing time! Performing at the Aldwych Theatre has been special as I made my debut at the Novello Theatre in MAMMA MIA! which is right next door so it’s a familiar part of London for me and is bringing back amazing memories from 2019.
How is it being part of the Ensemble and what is it like performing the choreography?
It’s great being part of an ensemble. There is a wonderful sense of unity between us all when performing, knowing we all have to work as a team to achieve a high standard quality show for the audience. There is always a great feeling of achievement when taking our bows at the end of the show and it’s a joy to be able to share that with my castmates.
The choreography is challenging, requiring me to using different styles and dynamics to achieve Liam’s (Steel) desired aesthetic. Liam’s choreography is also very character-driven meaning every movement has an intention to aid with the storytelling of the show. This helps keep the choreography playful and helps me to know how to perform the choreography and why I’m performing the choreography. I think the choreography is brilliant!
We understand you are also understudying the role of Buddy, what has it been like learning the character?
It’s been a challenging but fun experience. It’s a huge role so I’ve had to spend a lot of time watching rehearsal footage and running the show in my spare time. Joel (Montague) has been incredibly helpful, giving me tips and passing on important technical and performance notes that will aid me if I am needed to cover. I’ve also had a few cover rehearsals with the other covers led by our associate director, associate choreographer and dance captains, helping me to understand the blocking, choreography and acting intention in more detail.
Who do you think the musical will appeal to and why do you think fans of the original 2003 film starring Will Ferrell will enjoy it?
It’s a great day out for families as it’s a show that will appeal to all ages, but it will also appeal to anyone that’s up for a good laugh and wants to get into the Christmas spirit! If you’re a big fan of the film, watching the musical will feel nostalgic and will make your experience of Elf more magical as it comes alive right before your eyes!
What are you enjoying most about working on Elf the Musical and what are you looking forward to for continuing in the show through to Saturday 3rd January 2026?
The people on this job have been great. The cast, crew and creative team have been a pleasure to work with and I’m having such a laugh every night getting to perform this feel-good show with fantastic people. I’ve also really enjoyed playing different characters as part of the ensemble. It’s really fun switching in and out of different characters and keeps the show fresh and exciting for me.
I’m looking forward to performing the show on the week running up to Christmas because I think the audiences will be fantastic as they’ll really be in the festive mood!
How does it feel to be spending the festive season in a well-loved Christmas-themed musical?
It’s great as I’ll definitely be in the mood for Christmas by the time it comes around! The atmosphere in the theatre will bring me an extra layer of joy and festive energy to this time of year. I’ll always remember the festive magic this show brings in future Christmas periods.
You have just finished playing Harry Beaton in the 2025 London revival of Brigadoon at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre; how did the run go and what was the venue like to perform in?
The run was fantastic! It was such an honour to be a part of the revival of this beautiful show! Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre has been a bucket list venue of mine ever since I saw On the Town back in 2017. To perform at such an iconic venue, in a Drew McOnie show and playing a part, was a dream come true.
With the nature of the venue being outside, the show was never the same twice as the weather was always different. The atmosphere of the show changed during the run as the sun started to set earlier. I found this a really exciting challenge to have to adapt to the different weather changes while still producing the same show for the audience.
The duty of care the staff showed me was incredible and everyone associated with the theatre helped in making Brigadoon my favourite job to date. I would jump at the chance to perform again at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre if the opportunity came along!
What was Harry Beaton like to play and how was it being directed by Drew McOnie?
Harry was a very conflicted character, experiencing unrequited love in a place he couldn’t escape. Harry went through lots of dark emotions during the show, so I had to use the rehearsal process to find ways to feel the emotions without letting them take over and affect my performance. I found portraying Harry emotionally tiring but incredibly rewarding. Harry was a brilliant character to play and I will always hold him close to my heart.
Drew was incredible to work with, communicating clearly what he wanted from each scene while still giving me space to explore different ideas and be creative. He made me feel incredibly valued as an artist and the process felt very collaborative. He was always incredibly calm and patient and he always had everything under control. Drew pushed me to create my best work and held an extremely high standard while also holding a space for me to fail and let myself find the best way to achieve his vision. He is a master of the craft.
How was it performing on the 2024/25 European Tour of Grease as Kenickie and then taking over the role of Danny Zuko?
To perform two iconic roles in such a famous show while seeing the sights of Europe was such a privilege. I loved playing the explosive dynamic Kenickie and performing my favourite song of the show Greased Lightnin’ and then getting to counter that with the cool, collected Danny for the rest of the tour. Getting to take over the role of Danny was an honour and a role I’ve now been able to tick off the bucket list!
How did you find the experience working on the world premiere production of Ben Elton’s Close Up – The Twiggy Musical as understudy Justin de Villeneuve at the Menier Chocolate Factory?
Getting to create a new production is always really exciting as there is so much experimentation during the rehearsal process. Having a character created on you is awesome, as you know if the production ever happens again, a part of your performance will always be kept within the show. Working so closely with Ben Elton was such a joy and getting to see his genius writing come to life in front of my eyes was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The Menier Chocolate Factory is such a cool venue, with a limited audience space making the shows feel intimate and almost immersive. I learnt a lot from the experience that I will always take forward with me in the rest of my career.
What was it like getting into character as Alternate Galileo in We Will Rock You and performing the Queen soundtrack?
I often played music I loved in my dressing room from the half hour call onwards to get me pumped for the show ahead. About five minutes before the show was due to start, I would take a few moments to sit still, visualise my track in the show and express my gratitude for getting the opportunity to perform at the London Coliseum while singing some of the best songs ever written. My experience of performing Galileo will always be one of my favourites in my career. I always wanted to be a rock star, and this show gave me the opportunity to be one!
Can you tell us about your time originating the role of Wayne Osmond in the world premiere National Tour of The Osmonds: A New Musical and how was it touring for the first time?
As I mentioned with Close Up – The Twiggy Musical, getting to create a new show is always special. It was a different experience as we were having to contend with the coronavirus guidelines at the time which meant rehearsing in masks and being extra safe where possible. Having said that, it didn’t ruin the experience! It was an honour getting to work so closely with the legend Jay Osmond and it was super helpful to get his opinion on how I should portray his brother Wayne in the show. I was also lucky enough to work with Donny Osmond on Pantoland at the Palladium just before starting rehearsals so I was able to ask him some questions about Wayne too and of course, Donny was extremely helpful. The Osmonds music is fantastic and I really enjoyed the challenge of learning really close five-part harmonies. I had an added challenge as I quite often swapped my harmony lines between Baritone, Tenor 1 and Tenor 2 meaning I had to use a big vocal range in lots of different styles. I had a brilliant time creating the show and made some really good friends along the way!
Touring was fun as I’d never done much travelling before, so being able to see all different areas of the UK and be paid to do it was a real treat!
How was it telling the story of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as understudy Joseph at The London Palladium in 2021 and what was it like returning to live theatre when shows could reopen after the coronavirus pandemic?
Getting to perform as Joseph was my debut leading man performance and it was an amazing experience. It was a double show Saturday so I was able to do the track twice. I was incredibly nervous the first show but managed to settle in and really enjoy the second. My family came down from Yorkshire to catch the second show too, which was really special. There was a lot of pressure performing such well-loved songs such as Close Every Door but thankfully I got an incredible reaction from the audience both shows, which was a wonderful feeling. It was an honour to be trusted with the role when the production needed me to step up.
Returning to the theatre after having such a long time away due to the coronavirus pandemic was very emotional. I’d missed performing so much and being one of the first shows to open made me realise how lucky I was to be a part of the production. I’ll be forever grateful to everyone associated with the show for getting me the opportunity to perform again after such a long time.
What are some of your favourite memories from making your professional and West End debut in MAMMA MIA! at the Novello Theatre as Pepper?
There are honestly too many good times to mention! I’ve always wanted to perform in the West End since I was a child so my first performance was very emotional as I achieved my dream! It was such a good production to make my debut in as the show is just so much fun! I was also very fortunate that the cast and crew were a joy to work with and I came away from that contract with lifelong friends. Also, shoutout to my dressing room 9 boys for being brilliant and making that year one of the best of my life!
Where does your love of performing come from and how did you get into it?
I remember someone coming into my primary school to do an assembly showing us breakdancing. I was blown away and I really wanted to be able to do that! I then started taking dance lessons and never looked back!
Do you have any favourite theatre shows to watch and which would you like to see that you haven’t done so as yet?
There are so many amazing shows on at the moment! I loved BACK TO THE FUTURE THE MUSICAL. It’s a feel-good show with great music and fantastic special effects. I’m really looking forward to seeing Paddington when I get the chance!
How do you like to spend your free time?
I’ve been very busy rehearsing and performing the show so I’ve not had a lot of free time! But when I get it, I like to read, spend time with friends and get out in nature.
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