The Addams Family

 Centenary Theatre Company were still in the spooky mood with their recent production of ‘The Addams Family’, directed by Clare Littlemore. The set looked impressive with a grand staircase dominating the stage. Other pieces of set and furniture were brought on throughout the production. Having the ensemble do this in character was a great idea, as it allowed the production to move at pace. The dinner party scene was set well, with a long table and floating candles above it. There were some great pieces of originality in Clare’s direction, which added greatly to the comedy of the piece. The gravestones brought on during the second act were funny, with Hypochondriac Addams (‘I told you I was ill’) and Amnesia Addams (‘Gone and forgotten’). The appearance of the monster appearing from under Pugsley’s bed was also a great touch, and highly original. Having Thing (Elizabeth Thomson) appear throughout added to the comedy with characters interacting with them, and also appearing in some of the musical numbers. There were moments where the audience may have missed Thing, due to where they were positioned and lighting. All these moments from Clare added to the general kookiness of the production. The costumes were excellent throughout, and were reminiscent of the original cartoon. The ghostly white costumes of the ensemble were cleverly thought through, with each having their own identity. Makeup was also used well to further develop the look of the characters.

Emily Woodward was the musical director for this production, marking her Centenary Theatre Company debut in this role. The cast performed to backing tracks and did well with this. There were strong vocals throughout, and there were some good harmonies, especially in the full ensemble numbers.

Ceris Shadwell was the choreographer for this production. The choreography was great throughout, and performed very well by the entire cast. Highlights included the tap routine during ‘Just Around the Corner’, the sheer fun of ‘The Moon and the Me’, and the excellent tango inspired ‘Tango De Amor’. Ceris ensured that there were moments of comedy throughout the routines, such as Thing appearing at the end of ‘The Moon and Me’ with a miniature umbrella, replicating the Dancestors.

Technical aspects of the production were good throughout. The sound balance between the backing tracks and cast were good. The various sound effects used added to the spookiness of the production, such as the creaking of the door and the monster noises when Pugsley was in bed. The lighting design was varied and executed well. There were nice uses of colour used throughout. The pyrotechnics used were effective and cued well.

Taking on the role of the Addams patriarch, Gomez Addams, was Liam Darbyshire. Liam did well as the doting husband and father, and was able to show the dilemma he was in very well. Liam’s facial reactions were very funny, allowing the audience to see his inner turmoil. Liam maintained the convincing accent throughout the production. His vocals were very good and he was able to show off some tricks in ‘Tango De Amor’.

Playing opposite Liam as Morticia Addams was Danielle Segar. Danielle was very good in this iconic role, and was perfectly cast. She moved effortlessly across the stage, and created a believable relationship with Liam. Danielle’s vocals and dance were very good throughout, especially in ‘Tango De Amor’.

Charlotte Ashton played Wednesday Addams. Charlotte perfectly encapsulated Wednesday’s demure character, as she skulked across the stage. It was nice to see a different side to the character in her scenes with Toby, allowing Charlotte to create a well-rounded character.

Toby Abbott played Lucas Beineke. Toby was well cast in this role as the complete opposite of Wednesday. He created a genuine and caring relationship with Charlotte, as the audience willed them to be together.

Nick Beckwith played Mal Beineke. Nick did well as Mal, initially as the uptight father of Lucas. There were some very good moments of comedy from Nick, as he slowly released his inner rock God. He created a good partnership with Jo.

Jo Lee played Alice Beineke. She was suitably sunny with her poetry during the first act and there was a nice change in character in the second act, which was well portrayed by Jo. She created a believable family unit with Nick and Toby.

Dan Grimes impressed as the lovable Fester Addams. The entire characterisation as the zany Fester was spot on from Dan, using his voice and physicality well to establish the character. As the show’s narrator, Dan was at ease guiding the audience through the story. Dan’s vocals were great, delivering one of the standout numbers, ‘The Moon and Me’.

Rosie Shields played Grandma Addams. Rosie was suitably over-the-top in this role, and created a funny character. Her sudden shifts in character were very funny, going from sweet old lady to screaming banshee!

At this performance, Harry Brown played Pugsley Addams. Harry put in a very good performance as the tormented brother. His reactions were good, as he battled the thought of losing his sister. Harry’s vocals were good and his performance of ‘What If’ was convincingly performed by Harry.

Richard Harrison cut an imposing figure as Lurch. Richard’s physicality of the role was very good, and his sense of comedy was great. He had the audience in stitches of laughter as he welcomed the Beinekes to the Addams’ house, through his grunts and gestures. This was a very good comedic performance.

The ensemble was split in two groups with the Ancestors and the Dancestors. The Ancestors added ghostly happenings to the scenes and were used well throughout. The inclusion of a younger Ancestor (Evacuee, played by Jacob Jolly at this performance) was an inspired idea, allowing Pugsley to have a friend and cause some mischief with. The Dancestors added greatly to the musical numbers and were a strong feature of the production.

Overall, this was a good production. There were some very good performances, there were creative directorial choices, and the choreography was strong.

A big thank you to everyone at Centenary Theatre Company for their kind invite, and thank you to Marjorie Clare and Anita Warburton for their warm hospitality.

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