The Addams Family

Spooktacular success for PODS

The Addams Family works its magic at the Key

  For a society as long lived as Peterborough Operatic and Dramatic Society, resting on laurels of past success and following routes of the popular repertoire of musicals is one option. With ‘The Witches of Eastwick’ last year and ‘The Addams Family’ this year, PODS show every other Am dram musical group in the country how it should be done: select new and challenging material, stretch your cast and audience with difficult scores and lesser known works and in doing so, attract a younger demographic to your membership and your following. Add some inspirational direction, top class performances worthy of a West End stage and a company brimming with confidence and energy… and what have you got? That magic and mysterious spell cast over an auditorium which makes for great theatre as opposed to shows where the apology is intoned as ‘Well they’re only amateurs!’

At no point last night in a spellbinding production of Brickman, Elice and Lippa’s fine adaptation of the cartoon to T.V.series to movie did that apology have to be made. All performances: from the magnificent leading man Gomez as played by the superb Sam Dunn to the least seen chorus member were played for truth and unanimity of purpose.

From the first moment, we were drawn into the undead world of the Addams clan with atmospheric lighting and a gorgeously effective set of double gates with backcloth. Congratulations must go to Rob Melhuish and his team for set design and construction of the first order which set the scene but did not impede the action. Movement of props and continuity was seamless with some delightful effects: Uncle Fester flying to the moon being a ‘stand out’ moment amongst many.

From the first note played by the brilliant band, we knew that we were in the truly capable hands of a great musical director and skilled musicians so that a difficult and unknown score running the gauntlet from Sondheimesque to ‘Cabaret’ to ‘Rocky Horror’ became catchy and familiar in the excellent arrangements of Steve Hession. In turn, this raised the game of the singers, both chorus and soloists, who produced some of the best singing I have heard from this company or any local company for many years.

This show looks great and sounds great: the costumes and make up are striking, the choreography varied and assured with a terrific dance troupe and not a foot or arm seemingly out of place in the tangos and flamencos and Fosse style routines which abound throughout. Bravo, Rob Bristow and Nikki Marsden, for both thoroughly entertaining dances and ones which move the narrative onwards and upwards.

This is one NODA review where I could wax lyrical about every principal and every member of the company, but time and word count does not permit. Let me repeat that Sam Dunn was born to play the role of Gomez: his dexterity and subtlety as an actor centres the whole piece creating poignancy where there could be just superficiality. He moves beautifully and he sings wonderfully as does Heather Knapp as Morticia maintaining sensuality and consistent accent in a role so defined by Angelica Huston’s portrayal…but Heather makes Morticia her own wonderful woman. Jessica Dyer as Wednesday reminds us what an exquisitely melodic singer she is whilst running that difficult line between horror and empathy so well while Sam Makepeace Beach in his PODS’ debut turns the thankless part of Lucas into an eye catching and heart rending role.

Youngsters Alfie Russell as Pugsley and Harvey Jones as Grandma are hilarious in their horrific incarnations with Harvey bringing both gruesome and sympathetic to a part usually played more gender specific. Georgia Evans and Tim Ingall as Lucas’ parents, the Beinekes, prove themselves to be well in command of acting roles with a tremendous range of emotions to be shown and some of the most dissonant and difficult musical lines in the whole show. Their singing is excellent.

Mark Harriss as Lurch plays the part straight-faced whilst extracting many laughs from a witty script and a fun filled evening.

Impressed as I was by all the principals, I absolutely loved Alex Broadfield’s Uncle Fester. Displaying a fine singing voice and an ability to play tragic as convincingly as comic often in the same song or speech, Alex showed us what it is to move beyond caricature to the heart of a character and allow the audience to fall in love with you as he loved the moon!

The large ensemble were impressive in all their appearances, whether moving in sychronicity or even making trees move around the stage. Their enthusiasm and commitment was palpable.

If I have any minor criticisms, and believe me they are spookily minor, they are not concerned with how it was played but with the musical play itself. The story is very slight indeed and the narrative without real drive, so the audience have to be driven by the strength of routines and performances. A lesser society will struggle to make the show work as well as PODS do.

Although I delight in and understand the need for the gloomy atmospherics of the show, the lighting rig at the Key seems unable to show us faces when we really need to see them whilst ,last night, sound for the principals on first entrances, in particular ,was a little patchy. A few, very few, of the sequences seemed to be played upstage and veering too much into the wings. Let’s face it though, a reviewer is really struggling if those tiny gripes are the only ones.

Congratulations to all those who contributed to a wonderful evening’s entertainment: from the marvellous costumes by Tracy Sortwell and Violet Truelove Costumes to the make up design by Alex Harriss to terrific programme design and photos to the warm, friendly front of house team…everyone created a truly memorable evening.

Rob Bristow has proven himself in a relatively short time to be one of the best directors of musicals that the region has: he knows exactly how the medium works and how to get the best out of a company. This is his finest work to date.

The audience was enthusiastic throughout and gave a well-deserved standing ovation. I am sorry that PODS are not at the Key Theatre for ‘Hairspray’ next year because the Key needs brilliant amateur shows like this to bring audiences back to the centre of Peterborough and create new young audiences.

Of the many shows I have reviewed as NODA representative thus far, this is by far the best and most professional I have seen. Well done to Rob Bristow and the PODS’ company for letting us meet the family!

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