The Addams Family Musical

Walkerville Musical Society’s production of The Addams Family delivers a spirited, good‑humoured take on the beloved macabre ‘kooky clan’, blending strong character work with enthusiastic ensemble energy. The show succeeds in capturing the quirky charm and off‑beat heart that make this musical such a crowd‑pleaser.

The cast clearly relished their roles, and the production’s greatest strength lies in its character commitment. Gomez and Morticia (Ian and Lisa Nugent) anchor the show with confident performances and superb vocals, offering both comedic flair and genuine emotional moments. Although perhaps having a head start, their on-stage chemistry feels lived‑in, and their scenes — particularly the tango sequence — are amongst the evening’s highlights.

Wednesday’s portrayal (Sophia Archer) strikes a satisfying balance between deadpan severity and youthful vulnerability, and her vocal delivery in “Pulled” is one of her standout moments. Uncle Fester (Alan Tomkins) brings warmth and whimsicality, and his connection with the audience (and the Moon) adds a welcome layer of charm.

Grandma (Helene Archer) was beautifully portrayed and exceptionally well observed with all of the earthy comedic moments you would expect; a nice diversion for Helene. Whilst Pugsley (Angus Nugent) was every bit the tearaway kid and a perfect foil for his big sister. I thoroughly enjoyed their torture scene. Lurch (Graeme Spence) was large and imposing, as you would expect. He grunted and groaned his way through what is a difficult but vital part. The audience fully appreciated his ‘song’ near the end of the piece.

The Beinekes – Lucas (John Casson Thompson), Mal (John Ord) and Alice (Maya Walker) brought their own kind of ‘normality’ to the ‘party’. A lovely characterisation of Lucas, created by young John was full of sincerity and care for Wednesday, always striving to please and ‘control’ her moods. One would not know that this was John Ord’s first foray into musical theatre, even though he is well known in panto, giving a stellar performance as Mal. Alice’s madness moment near the end od Act One, powered by Pugsley’s potion during the ‘Full Disclosure’ number was quite remarkable, and fully believable.

The ensemble of ancestors, though occasionally uneven in precision, contributed strong visual interest throughout and helped maintain momentum in the larger numbers.

Producer and Stage Director Nick Thompson can be extremely proud of his achievements here. Responsible for not only the action on stage, but also the set, sound and lighting design. His is a superhuman effort which succeeded in every category (except for one or two first night technical gremlins!). His direction embraced the eccentricity of the Addams Universe perfectly, and his physical humour and exaggerated staging added well to the ambience and atmosphere. Congratulations!.

Peter Allsopp was a tremendous ‘one man band’, in charge of both the keyboard accompaniment and very professional sounding backing tracks. A tricky job which, in essence was well carried off and pleasant to listen to. His hard work with the whole cast was evident, the ensemble numbers such as “When You’re an Addams” and “Full Disclosure” were energetic and well‑balanced, with confident harmonies and good dynamic control. Well done!.

The slick and very apt choreography, shared between Nick and Lisa was sharp, stylised, and often delightfully odd. The ancestors’ choreography and movement was particularly effective, giving the stage a sense of constant, ghostly motion.

The production was visually stunning, with superb lighting by Ken Lindman and costumes by Judith Allen and Joan Fothergill, complimented with props by Christine Thompson, and wonderful ancestor’s makeup by Beverley Brennan and Andrea Scott-Bell.

Alan Ranson, Stuart Allen and their backstage team are to be congratulated once again. This is a very difficult production to stage and the whole team have contributed to its obvious tremendous success.

Thanks to Chairman Alan for the invitation and for the warm welcome and hospitality. My friends and I thoroughly enjoyed our visit.

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