The Addams Family

The Adams Family Musical...
By Rick Ellice and Marshall Brickman
Presented by Wigan Little Theatre
15th July 2025

The Adams Family: strange, quirky and macabre; having lived by their unique values for hundreds of years, Gomez and Morticia, the patriarch and matriarch of the clan, would be only too happy to keep it that way. However, their ‘Princess of Darkness’, daughter Wednesday, is now a young woman ready for a life of her own, and she has fallen in love with a sweet young man from a respectable normal family.

Swearing Gomez, her father to secrecy, Wednesday reveals she has invited her boyfriend and his Family to dinner when, at some stage, they will reveal their engagement. This puts Gomez in the unenviable position of having to lie to his beloved Morticia; something he has never done!

A choreographed slowly turning hand through the centre curtain as the lights fell, simple but effective, which opened a portal to a really creative high energy night of Theatre.

Directors Joe Wiswell and Lisa Griffiths casting and attention to detail lifted the characters off the pages of the comic strip and gave them life in ways I'm sure the authors would have approved of.

Gomez - Mark Lloyd
Instantly likeable with real stage presence embodied the character to perfection. With an operatic voice, perfect comic timing and genuine chemistry with Morticia. Real and believable angst displayed hearing Wednesday's revelation.

Morticia - Erinna Delaney
A balanced nuanced portrayal of the character. Every line of script brought to life with depth and subtlety; you’re singing and really elegant dancing adding the perfect layer.

Lurch - Christopher Jackson
With height, bearing and incredible stage presence you created a mischievous but warm and likeable character. A lovely portrayal Christopher.

Fester - Daman Robertson
Blended into the character with real feeling. Commanded the stage, your final song...’The Moon and Me’ quite moving.

Grandma - Maggie Hall
Looked right, sounded right and moved exactly as you would expect. Staying in character consistently without trying to upstage. A lovely performance.

Pugsley - Lola Rae Whittingham 
Captured the slightly wacky and playful side of the character. Genuinely scary screaming whilst unbelievably being tortured by your sister. Well done, Lola.

Wednesday - Jess Sinclair
You brought out the gothic sensibility Jess. Wednesday is a multi-layered character; you portrayed her differing emotions with belief and genuine feelings.

Lucas Beineke - Nicholas Arthur Walsh
An excellent portrayal of the character. A really lovely scene with you and Pugsley where you are "The cool Kid" excellent.

Mal Beineke- John Dudley
The conventional businessman suddenly thrust into a world you can't comprehend. Lovely scene where you think you are lost and totally convincing reverting to the "Old Mal".

Alice Beineke - Lisa Griffiths
Initially playing the poem quoting (Perfect timing Lisa) supine wife and Mother; Alice reverts to her real self after drinking Grandma's potion. Lovely comedic moment when you shredded your inhibitions, Lisa.

Cousin IT - Amelia Reeves
What must have been a very warm but really funny costume.  Crossing the stage with tiny steps and spinning movements you created really comedic and memorable moments every time you appeared.

The Ancestors
Samantha Quinn, Molly Stretford Ridehalgh, Emily Williams, Lavinia-Rose Oloughlin, Zane Khan, Catherine Finch, Lucy Bache and Sue Binns

Distinct, individual personalities, flowing into one tight, sharp, disciplined group of chorus members. Particularly memorable was ‘The Parasol Dance’ and the show stopping number with the lights on the headdresses. Successfully walking the tight rope between complementing the visual and distracting or upstaging many individual gestures and expressions used by the Ensemble i.e. The perfectly timed and executed sick gesture by an Ancestor on hearing the word "Love" collectively combined to support the principals and infuse that magic element into what was a first-class night of Theatre.

Well-done to Joe Wiswell and Lisa Griffiths, great casting, great insight, great results!

Faultless Musical Direction by Joe Tanner.

Set/Lighting/Sound and Props provided the perfect background. Well done all involved.

Outstanding costumes by Stacy Vernon and The Costume Store Southport, remarkable make up by Emma Appleton both helped to integrate every audience member into The Adams Family World.

David Davies
Assistant Area 6 Representative
NODA NW District 6

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