The Addams Family

Strangely this was my first experience of The Addams Family.  The story is so whacky with very little in the plot being remotely like the normal world we are used to.  Both the cast and audience needed to forget the everyday and be transported to the macabre and weird Addams family home.  We were helped on this journey before even the curtain had gone back when the white-gloved hand appeared through the curtain encouraging us to enter their world.  A wonderful moment of theatre because the hand in this instance was real and so very expressive.  Perhaps the choreographer was involved with this too.  A mention must be made that although most of the "Behind the Scenes" folk were adults the choreographer is fifteen and this is the fifth show she has choreographed! 

Back in the Autumn many of this young cast had enjoyed a workshop based on The Addams Family and that experience had clearly helped them with understanding the story and the development of their characters.  Many of the actors had very expressive body language demonstrating further how much "in character"  they were.  Relationships too in this so dysfunctional family were well played.  For instance, Wednesday showing all the rebellion and moodiness of a teenager in love.  Her parents, Morticia and Gomez showing their apprehension about the dinner with her boyfriend's parents.  Adding to the tension the boyfriend is from what could be called a more normal family but in this crazy world, can anything be considered normal?   The script is cleverly written and there are many gags.  There was a lovely moment when Morticia and Gomez realised that Grandma, who had been living with them for many years, was not in fact related to any of them.  We didn't discover where she had come from!  The pace was exciting and the whacky lines delivered clearly but although the audience was having a very entertaining evening there wasn't as much out loud laughter as might have been expected.  Sometimes an audience needs to be prepared for a gag so that they are ready to receive it.  A little more time is needed to take in the gag as they will most likely not have heard it before.  

The set was stunning and clever with exciting use made of the trap doors. Costumes were excellent and the ancestors who had emerged from the graveyard were all so recognizable.  Makeup with this show is so important.  No mention in the programme of who was responsible, perhaps the cast applied it themselves, it does seem as if this group is being well trained in all aspects of theatre.

The music was recorded and the Musical Director had trained the cast well.  The singing was beautiful with good diction and expression.  Sound balance was good allowing both dialogue and singing to be heard easily.  Lighting was in very capable hands and added much to the atmosphere of the production.

The show seemed to fly by.  The pace was very slick.  Scene changes were handled well, with no break in the action, allowing the audience to remain immersed in the story.

This was a superb evening of entertainment.  The energy, commitment and excitement that this youth group brought to the production is impressive and full credit must be given to them and to their "Behind the Scenes" team who had supported them so admirably.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Addams Family - Youth Production

Axminster Drama Club Youth

The Guildhall, Axminster

Musical

Directors: Sara Leat and Leigh Conley

Musical Director: Judith Izzard

Choreographer: Jessica Leat

26th January 2019

As seen by Joyce Pomeroy

 

Disclaimer

Any observation made by the reviewer can only be based on what he sees at the performance in question.  The reviewer may have received information in advance of the performance and it is inevitable that his assessment will be affected by that knowledge.

 

The N.O.D.A. Representative’s intention is to give an objective critique of the overall production and in particular, the performance.  It should be remembered that any review of this nature can only be objective as far as the techniques used during the performance observed.  Any criticisms expressed may not have been valid at other performances, and are only made to encourage higher standards in Amateur Theatre.

 

It is hoped that the audience’s appreciation of your efforts will have given everyone a lift and encouraged you to greater achievements in the future and that the observations made by the reviewer will prove helpful in improving future productions

 

Strangely this was my first experience of The Addams Family.  The story is so whacky with very little in the plot being remotely like the normal world we are used to.  Both the cast and audience needed to forget the everyday and be transported to the macabre and weird Addams family home.  We were helped on this journey before even the curtain had gone back when the white-gloved hand appeared through the curtain encouraging us to enter their world.  A wonderful moment of theatre because the hand in this instance was real and so very expressive.  Perhaps the choreographer was involved with this too.  A mention must be made that although most of the "Behind the Scenes" folk were adults the choreographer is fifteen and this is the fifth show she has choreographed! 

Back in the Autumn many of the cast had enjoyed a workshop based on The Addams Family and that experience had clearly helped them with understanding the story and the development of their characters.  Many of the actors had very expressive body language demonstrating further how much "in character"  they were.  Relationships too in this so dysfunctional family were well played.  For instance, Wednesday showing all the rebellion and moodiness of a teenager in love.  Her parents, Morticia and Gomez showing their apprehension about the dinner with her boyfriend's parents.  Adding to the tension the boyfriend is from what could be called a more normal family but in this crazy world, can anything be considered normal?   The script is cleverly written and there are many gags.  There was a lovely moment when Morticia and Gomez realised that Grandma, who had been living with them for many years, was not in fact related to any of them.  We didn't discover where she had come from!  The pace was exciting and the whacky lines delivered clearly but although the audience was having a very entertaining evening there wasn't as much out loud laughter as might have been expected.  Sometimes an audience needs to be prepared for a gag so that they are ready to receive it.  A little more time is needed to take in the gag as they will most likely not have heard it before.  

The set was stunning and clever with exciting use made of the trap doors. Costumes were excellent and the ancestors who had emerged from the graveyard were all so recognizable.  Makeup with this show is so important.  No mention in the programme of who was responsible, perhaps the cast applied it themselves, it does seem as if this group is being well trained in all aspects of theatre.

The music was recorded and the Musical Director had trained the cast well.  The singing was beautiful with good diction and expression.  Sound balance was good allowing both dialogue and singing to be heard easily.  Lighting was in very capable hands and added much to the atmosphere of the production.

The show seemed to fly by.  The pace was very slick.  Scene changes were handled well, with no break in the action, allowing the audience to remain immersed in the story.

This was a superb evening of entertainment.  The energy, commitment and excitement that this youth group brought to the production is impressive and full credit must be given to them and to their "Behind the Scenes" team who had supported them so admirably.

Joyce

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Addams Family - Youth Production

Axminster Drama Club Youth

The Guildhall, Axminster

Musical

Directors: Sara Leat and Leigh Conley

Musical Director: Judith Izzard

Choreographer: Jessica Leat

26th January 2019

As seen by Joyce Pomeroy

 

Disclaimer

Any observation made by the reviewer can only be based on what he sees at the performance in question.  The reviewer may have received information in advance of the performance and it is inevitable that his assessment will be affected by that knowledge.

 

The N.O.D.A. Representative’s intention is to give an objective critique of the overall production and in particular, the performance.  It should be remembered that any review of this nature can only be objective as far as the techniques used during the performance observed.  Any criticisms expressed may not have been valid at other performances, and are only made to encourage higher standards in Amateur Theatre.

 

It is hoped that the audience’s appreciation of your efforts will have given everyone a lift and encouraged you to greater achievements in the future and that the observations made by the reviewer will prove helpful in improving future productions

 

Strangely this was my first experience of The Addams Family.  The story is so whacky with very little in the plot being remotely like the normal world we are used to.  Both the cast and audience needed to forget the everyday and be transported to the macabre and weird Addams family home.  We were helped on this journey before even the curtain had gone back when the white-gloved hand appeared through the curtain encouraging us to enter their world.  A wonderful moment of theatre because the hand in this instance was real and so very expressive.  Perhaps the choreographer was involved with this too.  A mention must be made that although most of the "Behind the Scenes" folk were adults the choreographer is fifteen and this is the fifth show she has choreographed! 

Back in the Autumn many of the cast had enjoyed a workshop based on The Addams Family and that experience had clearly helped them with understanding the story and the development of their characters.  Many of the actors had very expressive body language demonstrating further how much "in character"  they were.  Relationships too in this so dysfunctional family were well played.  For instance, Wednesday showing all the rebellion and moodiness of a teenager in love.  Her parents, Morticia and Gomez showing their apprehension about the dinner with her boyfriend's parents.  Adding to the tension the boyfriend is from what could be called a more normal family but in this crazy world, can anything be considered normal?   The script is cleverly written and there are many gags.  There was a lovely moment when Morticia and Gomez realised that Grandma, who had been living with them for many years, was not in fact related to any of them.  We didn't discover where she had come from!  The pace was exciting and the whacky lines delivered clearly but although the audience was having a very entertaining evening there wasn't as much out loud laughter as might have been expected.  Sometimes an audience needs to be prepared for a gag so that they are ready to receive it.  A little more time is needed to take in the gag as they will most likely not have heard it before.  

The set was stunning and clever with exciting use made of the trap doors. Costumes were excellent and the ancestors who had emerged from the graveyard were all so recognizable.  Makeup with this show is so important.  No mention in the programme of who was responsible, perhaps the cast applied it themselves, it does seem as if this group is being well trained in all aspects of theatre.

The music was recorded and the Musical Director had trained the cast well.  The singing was beautiful with good diction and expression.  Sound balance was good allowing both dialogue and singing to be heard easily.  Lighting was in very capable hands and added much to the atmosphere of the production.

The show seemed to fly by.  The pace was very slick.  Scene changes were handled well, with no break in the action, allowing the audience to remain immersed in the story.

This was a superb evening of entertainment.  The energy, commitment and excitement that this youth group brought to the production is impressive and full credit must be given to them and to their "Behind the Scenes" team who had supported them so admirably.

Joyce

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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