The Addams Family

I love Halloween. Not the horror, not the gory, scary element, but the camp, spooky, flamboyant part of the celebration. So, with its outrageous characters, glorious costumes, wonderfully witty wordplay and gags galore, I was expecting The Addams Family to be the perfect holiday treat for me and BOS Musical Theatre Group certainly delivered. I think it's fair to say that the storyline is rather flimsy, it’s good fun and it has a satisfactory ending but the plot is nothing exceptional. Also, I personally find most of the songs unmemorable, and although a few of the musical numbers are excellent, most seem mediocre to me. However, there is still lots to love about this show. For a start, it’s pure escapism and there is a lot to be said for that in this day and age. Also, there are many laughs to be had and the array of colourful characters is delightful.

Characters, of course, are only as good as the actors playing them and we were in safe hands for this production. The ensemble cast were all clearly having the time of their lives on stage and the chemistry between them simply oozed into the auditorium. The head of the family, Gomez Addams, was played by Julian Warrick and I genuinely think this is the best role I’ve seen him play to date. The accent he used was difficult to place but that didn’t matter, he delivered it consistently and with conviction and it made me smile. His energy was boundless and his acting was polished, he seemed as at ease with the high-camp moments as he was with those driven by pathos. Natasha Connor played his elegant and seductive wife, Morticia, and there is no denying that she is a real talent and a huge asset to any cast. She has a powerful voice which she controls beautifully and is always a pleasure to listen to. She had clearly invested a lot of passion and dedication into her acting performance and, although I would have like to have seen a little more deadpan delivery and subtle playfulness, she gave a very strong performance. The iconic role of Wednesday Addams was performed by Caitlin Cooper and she
was incredible. She had such stage presence and often, unintentionally, pulled focus because she was so watchable. Her characterisation was deliciously dark and her blunt, dry delivery was perfect. Caitlin’s voice was phenomenal and had a real maturity for someone in their teens, in fact, the power in her voice was too much for the microphone in Act One – the volume needed to be brought down as it was far too

loud. I look forward to seeing Caitlin perform in future productions. Wednesday’s long-suffering brother, Pugsley, was played by Zak Roberts, and at the age of twelve, he should be congratulated for taking on this challenging role alongside such a strong cast of adults. He shows great promise and portrays the cheeky, and often sullen, character with a talent that I’m sure will develop over time.
The remaining members of the Addams clan were Lurch, Grandma, and Uncle Fester, played respectively by Ben Green, Kim Sands, and PJ Roberts, all skilled character actors. Ben Green was exceptional as Lurch, his blank face and monotone grunts somehow speaking volumes. The moment when he greeted the Beinekes, and a roller-coaster of non-verbal emotions spilled out, was simply wonderful and a real high point. Kim Sands was at her outrageous best as Grandma and delivered a masterclass in how to steal a scene with, what is essentially, a cameo performance – brilliant comic timing and fabulous to watch. PJ Roberts brought a real warmth to Fester and his rapport with the audience was commendable. He had some lovely facial expressions and his interaction with the Addams ancestors was well-rehearsed and energetic.

The Addams Family ancestors provided the show with its chorus and, I have to say, this was one of the strongest ensembles I’ve seen from BOS in a long time. Their characterisations were animated and interesting to watch, their singing was solid and there was a strong core of talented dancers. Unfortunately, there were one or two performers who weren’t quite up to the same standard and they did pull focus occasionally, but this didn’t detract too much from the others. Completing the cast were George Tompkins, Steve Dickons, and Lucy Dickons as the Beinekes, the family invited into the Addams Family home. George Tompkins played the son, Lucas, and provided Wednesday with her love interest and I thought he was excellent – geeky, yet charismatic, introverted, yet spirited. His singing was strong, playful and full of energy and his acting was great – a superb character performance. Steve Dickons was cast as Lucas’s gruff and irritable father, Mal, and provided strong support. I enjoyed Mal as a character and his incredulous disbelief at the strange goings-on was pitched really well. The role of Alice Beineke was played by Lucy Dickons and she absolutely blew me away. I just loved her performance. Her comic timing was delightful, her characterisation was joyful. Her song at the end of Act One was show-stealing – she smashed it! 

The director, Robert Nicholls, is to be congratulated for striving towards such high production values. The costumes were excellent and Rachael Hockmeyer’s attention to detail should be celebrated, her wonderful array of period pieces for the ancestors was fabulous. It’s such a shame the make-up didn’t quite compliment the costumes, with some too heavy and some necks and ears left unfinished. The set did feel a little empty at times but was simple and effective and I really liked the use of the Juliet gates. Unfortunately, from where I sat towards the back, I could see the tops of the pillars hadn’t been painted. The lighting was good and the moon and star cloth really helped to create a spooky, yet romantic atmosphere. The scene changes were slick and well-rehearsed and I applaud the stage crew for this.

Rob Nicholls is clearly a skilled and experienced director who can bring out the best in his actors. The only issue I had was with the sight lines when the main cast members delivered scenes on the balcony. Our row, plus the four rows behind me, couldn’t see any acting that took place here. However, this is a minor point in what was a superb show, full of pace, energy, and Halloween magic. I will certainly seek out future shows directed by Rob and would like to thank him and his wonderful team for this spooktacular treat.

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