The Addams Family

Having enjoyed several previous productions by Ludwig Theatre Arts, directed by Jack Ludwig, I was honoured to attend this performance on behalf of my colleague, who was unfortunately unable to do so on this occasion.

The Addams Family first captured audiences' imaginations through the 1964 television series, although the characters themselves originated in the cartoons of Charles Addams. The musical premiered on Broadway in 2010 and, while it has never enjoyed a full West End run, it has toured the UK on several occasions and has become a firm favourite with amateur theatre companies in recent years.

On entering the auditorium, I was pleased to see an open stage, as it allows the audience to absorb the setting before the overture begins and the story unfolds. What greeted us was an impressive and atmospheric set. A star cloth formed the backdrop and was used to great effect throughout the production. Dominating the stage was the façade of the Addams mansion, suitably eerie, with its sorrowful-looking windows. Downstage stood the iconic wrought-iron gates alongside the crypt monument, while trees and carefully draped cobwebs completed the scene. Large cobweb-covered candelabras positioned downstage left and right provided the perfect finishing touch.

During the overture, the changing lighting and atmosphere were particularly effective, especially during the musical underscoring of The Moon and Me, creating an appropriately eerie ambience. The opening featured the infamous finger-clicking motif before the family emerged from the mansion. Those distinctive clicks are instantly recognisable and immediately drew the audience into the wonderfully macabre world of the Addams Family.

Edward Dunne and Ellen Harris shared an excellent chemistry as Gomez and Morticia. Their relationship was affectionate, believable and captured the devotion that lies at the heart of this unconventional family. Edward portrayed Gomez with warmth, humour and enthusiasm, while Ellen's elegant and understated Morticia perfectly balanced his exuberance until her realisation that she had become her own mother. Their musical numbers were delivered with confidence. I particularly enjoyed Just Around the Corner, with its clever lyrical humour ("Coroner – get it?") and well-executed Broadway-style hat and cane routine.

Ellie Davies gave a great performance as Wednesday, balancing her trademark deadpan wit with the emotional vulnerability of a young woman experiencing love for the first time. Her musical numbers, particularly Pulled and Crazier Than You, were delivered with confidence and clarity.

One of my favourite characters is undoubtedly Uncle Fester, played by Oliver Handley, who, even by Addams Family standards, is delightfully eccentric. His declarations of love for the Moon never fail to raise a smile, and he certainly did not disappoint in his performance of The Moon and Me. I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of Thing accompanying him in several scenes, adding further humour.

Kaid Monaghan made an imposing Lurch, using his commanding physical presence, wonderfully deadpan expressions and trademark grunts to great effect throughout. With relatively little dialogue, he nevertheless became an important visual presence.  His sols in Move Toward the Darkness was a joy.

Tania Hughes relished the role of Grandma, bringing mischief, and good comic timing to another eccentric characters. The realisation that nobody is entirely sure whose grandmother she actually is adds to the humour.

The Beinekes provided the perfect contrast to the eccentric Addams family. Steph Reid as Alice, William Pendlebury as Mal and Elliot Siwicki as Lucas convincingly portrayed the 'normal' American family. Elliot was excellent throughout, and his performance of Crazier Than You alongside Ellie Davies was one of the musical highlights of the evening. Steph's increasingly animated Alice, complete with her wonderfully incessant rhyming and rendition of What If.  

Special praise should be given to William Cameron Swan as Pugsley. Will joined the production with just two weeks to go after the originally cast performer unfortunately sustained a fracture. Despite the circumstances, he captured Wednesday's mischievous younger brother with confidence, embracing both the character's love of torture and his vulnerability as he fears losing his sister. Congratulations to Will on stepping into the role so successfully, and best wishes to the original Pugsley for a speedy recovery.

The show does not provide a great deal of dramatic work for the ensemble portraying the Addams ancestors. However, it does offer wonderful opportunities for creativity in costume design, allowing cast members to represent almost any historical period, provided the costumes retained a suitably ghostly appearance. From what I recall, this production featured a mix of characters, including a cowgirl, prisoner, ballerina, sailor, eighteenth-century courtier, nun and a caveperson.

I particularly liked the use of picture frames to incorporate some of the ghostly Ancestors into scenes where the ensemble would not otherwise have been involved.

Jack Ludwig's direction ensured the production-maintained pace throughout, allowing the comedy to flourish while not losing sight of the family relationships at the centre of the story. The musical direction supported the cast confidently, and the choreography complemented the action well.

Following the performance, I had the opportunity to take a brief look backstage and was impressed by how effectively the limited wing space had been utilised. The need to position the chaise longue in the stage right wing was clearly a practical necessity, and I was amazed that sufficient space had also been found stage left to accommodate the gates, crypt, torture device, Spanish chair and dining table.

Congratulations to everyone involved, both on stage and behind the scenes, for presenting an entertaining production. Thank you for the kind invitation to attend and for the continuing welcome extended to future performances.

I look forward to returning to the Courtyard Theatre in February 2027 to see Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

 

Andy Brown, Regional Councillor NODA West Midlands

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