The Addams Family

The theatre was busy and buzzing. The programme was well-designed and crammed with photos and info on source material, rehearsal process and cast & crew. 

The set was an attractive two-story affair, with grand staircases either side and a landing lined with portraits….funny, moving portraits ! In the centre were large double-doors that permitted furniture and props to be moved on smoothly. Good use of smoke added to the spookiness of the scene.

 Stage crew were dressed appropriately and went about their business smoothly. Furniture and props looked really good.

 The lighting was terrific. Fixed and follow were both spot-on, with beautiful visions from the downlighting and gobos.  

Sound was beautifully balanced. The songs and dialogue were crystal clear. The Addams Family has great songs and ALL of them were well performed.  The music is rich and diverse. Jamie Cordell’s arrangements were splendid and the orchestra performed all of the numbers so well.

Lindsay Swift’s choreography was first-rate. Tango De Amor was, of course, a triumph; but all of the dancing and movement was beautifully co-ordinated…especially as each of the forty-two ancestors seemed to have a different limp, shuffle or jerk !

 Costumes were excellent… the ancestors sported a fine selection of designer shrouds and gravewear …loved all the different periods that were represented. The family and their guests were all appropriately dressed in character and in status…and Morticia looked magnificent. “Morticia…you have legs !”

 With the enormous cast and the undead vibe, Hair and Make-up must have been a challenge. But all was well done. Wigs and hairstyles were just so; and the white cosmetic across the ancestor’s eyes was especially spooky.

 The comedy was non-stop; full of the kind of jokes that made the cartoons, TV series and films so popular and memorable. Even innocent dialogue and romantic moments were skewered with dark humour. Everyone’s comic timing was impeccable…those lines don’t just leap off the page.

Once again, Piers Spicer led the pack. Utterly different from last time…despite the little nod to Tevye… his Gomez was a wildly enthusiastic performance, more in tune with Raul Julia than John Astin. He maintained his Spanish accent, when all about him were East Coast; and danced, strutted and sang gloriously.

Morticia Addams was perfectly played by Ruth Cheek. She radiated glamour…and authority…utterly dominating the family and the stage. And sang so beautifully …especially Just Around the Corner. 

Hayley Turner made a fine Wednesday; by turns sullen and smitten with boyfriend Lucas. Her singing was utterly lovely.

Pugsley was well played by Ethan Manwaring with powerful singing and good characterisation.

Elena Brammar made me blush with Grandma’s salty language ! It was a very fine, very believable performance, and I loved the confusion over whose mother you were supposed to be.  

Sam Gillett was a good Fester, who seemed to get bigger and better through the show. The Moon and Me was beautifully sung.  

Lucas, played by Aidan Caffyn, sang well and was a perfect foil for Wednesday…the smitten suitor who’s wondering what he’s got himself into ? 

Edwin Lawrence was the buttoned-up Mal Beineke, controlling father of the family. It was a very mature and truthful performance. Caitlin Maden’s Alice Beineke was anxious to please and as wholesome as apple pie…until the change to a hungry siren in the glorious song that concluded ACT I. Both of these actors maintained their credibility throughout their wild transition.

 Not easy for a mute Zombie to be entertaining, but Rupert Lawrence managed it with Lurch. His impassivity was hilarious; and then, out of nowhere, came a fine solo.  

The ancestors were a constant delight: their bizarre progress across the stage, their (uninvited) Greek chorus, the intricate moving forest and…everything. they were so funny and wonderful and perfect that it’s difficult to believe they achieved it all in just two weeks of rehearsal.  Thanks to John Harries-Rees and his excellent team, they are having first-rate training and direction and the unforgettable experience of a glorious production.

Thank you for a wonderful evening. My only regret is that having seen the Saturday night performance, there was no opportunity to see it again.

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