The Addams Family

What a great, fun-filled evening with Dinnington Operatic Society at their production of The Addams Family.  This long-established Society brought ‘darkness and disaster’ to this show in a way that only they can.  The casting was exceptional and Kirstie Turnball, Director, must surely have delighted in having a principal line-up for whom these parts could have been written.

The most senior family member, Grandma, was hilariously played by Joanne Thornewell who captured her  strange and mischievous ways.  Faith Birnie was a wonderful Pugsley Addams – who looked as though he was about to start mayhem around every corner.  Russ Thornton, who can usually be found on the end of Ticket Hotline, was a wonderful ‘Lurch’ with an endearing ‘slow creep’ and hilarious facial expressions – a fabulous actor who made a big impression with very few lines. 

Johnny Green made a great Mal Beineke and was well-paired with Abbie Lloyd, who was an enthusiastic Alice Beineke – both performers had super comic timing and physicality.   The character of poor Lucas Beineke is surrounded by madness on all sides and Lewis Maltby did a great job of ‘playing it straight’ in some challenging situations.  Green, Lloyd and Maltby made a very believable family in the oddest of ways.

Ashley Booker gave an excellent performance as Gomez Addams, bringing humour and angst to this role as he is pulled in different directions by his love for his wife and daughter.  Louise Seldon was elegant as Gomez’s demanding wife Morticia and played it with all the ‘dignity’ that this part requires.  Andrew Darkus was a super Uncle Fester, who maintained his role throughout, with brilliant timing and an ability to make this character (who is less than pleasing on the eye) capture the hearts of the audience, if not the moon.  A standout performance from Daisy Mikulik who was the perfect Wednesday Addams.  This young actor has a great ability to take a role and make it her own.  She was the consummate ‘troubled teenager’ with a barbed response to every question which was delivered with just the right level of sarcasm – simply excellent.

Choreographer Catherine Enos found some great moves from an ensemble that were supposed to be largely dead!  The ensemble were well used in this production and I particularly enjoyed the scenes in Central Park Woods – when they put to use that oft dreaded drama exercise ‘be a tree’, but did so with dead-pan faces.

The five-piece band, led by MD Jonathan Wilby, really added to the atmosphere.  Whilst all the songs played to the strengths of the actors and were well supported by the ensemble of Ancestors, the standout numbers for me were ‘Crazier Than You’ and ‘Not Today’.

The set was beautifully proportioned for this stage and most definitely looked the ‘part’.  The additional props and furniture pieces were moved swiftly by cast members without taking anything away from the pace of the production. The great sound and light really enhanced the spectacle of the show and the costumes were excellent.

Congratulations to all the Production Team, performers and everyone involved in the fabulous, spectacular that was The Addams Family!

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