The Addams Family

What a fun evening of haunting entertainment from Wombwell and District Amateur Operatic Society with their production of The Addams Family.     From the moment you entered the theatre the atmosphere was just a little bit spooky with a fabulously dressed auditorium and creepy music playing.    What a great introduction for the sell-out crowd.

Based on the characters from the TV series in this musical we find that Wednesday Addams, beloved daughter of Gomez and Morticia, has fallen in love with an all-American, squeaky clean Lucas Beineke.  When the Beineke family come to the Addams family mansion (complete with torture chamber) for a meal Lucas and his parents meet the all the family including Uncle Fester and Wednesday’s younger brother Pugsley.  An evening of potential terror ensues - laced with double entendre and a potion or two.   With an ensemble of Ancestors creating a storm, everyone including Grandma and the family butler Lurch are trapped inside the mansion for the night – what could possibly go wrong?

Directed and choreographed by Isobel Oliver- Haste with musical direction from Michael Norton the packed theatre was in for a real treat with some super characterisation, excellent dancing and lovely singing.

The cast were incredibly enthusiastic and engaged in their roles.  Carpenter Lockwood and Ben Shipman as Morticia and Gomez made a great pairing.   Shipman had real charisma and Lockwood was perfect as the elegant matriarch of the family.  Their ‘Tango De Amor’ was excellent.  Sally Bembridge was great fun as Wednesday and gave a super performance throughout including the musical numbers.  Wednesday’s love interest, Lucas, was played by Mark Kelwick who claimed the role of ‘unwitting victim’ with great passion leaving the audience in no doubt of his love for Wednesday.

Completing the Addams household Eleannor Young as Pugsley, Lesley Needham as Grandma and Elliot Cable were all well cast.  Young was most engaging as the little brother sad to lose his big sister and Needham was very comical as Grandma.  Mal Beineke and Alice Beineke were played by Paul Needham and Adele Murray.  Both actors had great pace and strong delivery of some very funny lines.

The fifteen strong chorus playing the Ancestors were excellent and really maintained their characters throughout – their costumes were particularly stunning giving each performer an individual identity to support their performance.    They also moved a lot of the set and used the stage and auditorium well.  With regard to the cast I have to keep the closing comments for Chris Wakeford as Uncle Fester.  Wakeford totally owned the part from his first entrance.  He found all the pathos in the role and really made the most of every opportunity this character offered - a fabulous performance which was really enjoyable.

The costumes were excellent – designed and made in house they were to a very high standard and really added to the production, even shoes and personal props were well thought through.  Accolades must go to Vanessa Bates and the Thimbles Sewing Group for the creativity and imagination put into every costume.  Sound and light was good and the set was well managed by both cast and stage crew. 

Congratulations to the production team, cast and crew – a great show to be proud of.

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