Interview: Craig Gallivan on playing Olaf in West End production of Disney’s FROZEN

Photo credit: Johan Persson

To celebrate International Snowman Day on 18 January (who knew!), who better to speak to than Craig Gallivan, who is currently starring as Olaf in the West End production of Disney’s Frozen.

So you're over a year into Frozen in the West End now, playing everyone's favourite Snowman, Olaf. What's kept you with this show into the new season? 

There are so many reasons why I wanted to stay in Arendelle a little longer. The audiences have been incredible! The reaction every night is like a stadium concert. Playing Olaf is a dream and there are so many opportunities to get laughs and make a connection with the crowd. It’s addictive. Plus the cast and crew at Drury Lane are an absolute joy. 

And what do you think has kept audiences coming to see this show, and filling such a huge theatre night after night?

I think in the early days people were coming because they loved the film, and they moved these characters and the story. But now it’s definitely shifted and people are coming because word of mouth is out there and people have heard how incredible the production is. Which is great actually as it definitely feels now like people are coming to see Frozen the musical rather than Frozen the film. 

When you found out Frozen was coming to London, did you know you wanted to be a part of it or was it a surprise? 

To be honest, when I heard it was coming to London, I didn’t really give it much thought because I didn’t really see a part for me. Then something strange happened: I was doing a concert with ‘H’ from Steps and after sound check he said “you know what, you’d make a brilliant Olaf”. That was the first time I thought to myself that there was something there for me. About a year later, after six rounds of auditions, I was offered the role.  

Now you're playing Olaf, but you're clearly not made of snow! How have Disney brought this character to life on stage?

This was a big secret when it originally opened on Broadway but now every has seen photos and video clips it’s not such a big deal, but in Frozen the musical, Olaf is a puppet! It was a big challenge for me as I’d never done any puppetry before. I had an extra two weeks rehearsal before the rest of the cast joined, just getting used to the Olaf puppet and how it all worked. It took some time but now it’s like driving a car and it’s started to become second nature. Other cast mates often comment about how I still keep Olaf blinking even when I’m standing it the wings and I don’t even realise I’m doing it. 

What's one thing about the Olaf puppet that audiences may not notice from their seats? 

I think it’s the facial gestures. I have control of the mouth opening and closing to make him speak but I also have control over his blinks and the easing of his eyebrows. There are two triggers inside the head that I can press to action the blinks and eyebrows but it happens so frequently that people often think it’s automated and there’s some pre-programmed facial expressions that the Olaf head does automatically - but it’s all me. 

Has your performance as Olaf evolved over the course of the run?

It honestly evolves on a weekly basis. I’m always fine tuning it. Every audience teaches you something and there’s usually a moment in each show when I get a lightbulb moment and tweak something for the next show. To be honest though, once you think you’ve figured something out, the next night something you thought you’d mastered starts to fall away. It’s a never ending cycling of audience feedback and adaptation and I love it! It’s the one thing that keeps it fresh. 

Has any of Olaf's optimism rubbed off on you as you've played him all this time?

100%. And it’s also the way the younger audience members see him. There was a young girl in the audience a few weeks ago that didn’t understand why Olaf had a man (me) following him around. That, to me, is just amazing because it proves that in her mind Olaf was ‘real’. That level of innocence is something that has really changed my outlook on life. 

Summer or winter?

SUMMEEEEEEEEEEEER!!!!!

Frozen is currently booking until October 2023, with tickets available here.