The Addams Family (School Edition)

We were in for a creepy, kooky and spooky time at the Greig Hall, as Top Box’s Stratford-upon-Avon Teen Theatre Company took on The Addams Family musical – a very appropriate choice for Halloween time!  Although this was a ‘School Edition’, it was still pretty much a full length show, and the young performers on stage did a really good job of keeping the momentum going from the opening curtain to the final bows.

As the show opened we met not just the Addams Family themselves but also their ‘ancestors’ – marvellously portrayed by a white-clad chorus, complete with suitably jerky Thriller style movements to emphasise that they belonged in the realm of the dead.  There was some good make-up too, essential to provide that otherworldly weirdness – well done to the make-up team.  The first scene, featuring a well-performed version of ‘When You’re An Addams’ took place in front of some very nice gates to the Addams’ home – a fine piece of scenery that added to the atmosphere.

The Addams Family themselves were superbly portrayed by an impressive group of young actors (all part of ‘Team Moonlight’, sharing the spotlight on alternate performances with ‘Team Twilight’).  Corbyn G-T is a very strong, charismatic performer, and he took to the part of Gomez like a duck to water, absolutely spot on in characterisation and maintaining an impressive accent throughout.  He also showed great reactions at one point, to rescue a falling candlestick! 

As his wife, Morticia, Ruby F was nicely steely and made the most of her singing opportunities, particularly ‘Just Around the Corner’.  There was also a very nice moment with Wednesday, when they mirrored each other’s movements (like mother, like daughter) – a well-conceived and executed detail.  Ruby and Corbyn both also did extremely well to keep the very long dance sequence in ‘Live Before We Die’ going so smoothly – no mean feat!  Well done to Georgie Pearce for the choreography too.

Wednesday was played by Ilana M-S in wonderfully poker-faced style, backed up by some really good singing, particularly in ‘Pulled’ and ‘Crazier than You’.  As her brother, Pugsley, Bradley C really brought out the pain of a sibling feeling left-behind, sitting forlornly on the steps (in this case, echoing his father) at the start of ‘What If’.  Completing the family were Ella Ba as a crazily excitable, full-throated Uncle Fester; Phoebe-Skye B impressively bent almost double as Grandma; and Callum W, suitably lugubrious as the almost silent Lurch, who was strangely moving as he sang ‘Move Towards the Darkness’ as the story came towards its end.

Abbigail S, Charlotte A and Harry W kept up the high standard of performance as the outsider Beineke family – hoping against hope for ‘One Normal Night’.  There were many nice moments from these three – Harry W has a very relaxed, natural stage presence, and formed a believable partnership with Ilana’s Wednesday.  Charlotte was also strong, showing great commitment to Alice’s transformation during ‘Full Disclosure’, and Abbigail did something similar as Mal let himself go at the end of ‘Crazier than You’.  Great fun!

A sizeable chorus enlivened the group numbers as the Ancestors, mainly observing the goings on from a distance.  During their initial introduction they came out into the audience, which worked really well to draw the audience in to the spooky goings on, and that could perhaps have been done more often.  But the whole cast absolutely gave their all throughout, well done to one and all. 

The show was directed, as is customary, by Top Box Company Director Tracy Anne Wright, and she certainly got the most out of her cast.  Perhaps a little more movement could have been introduced at times, because the cast were certainly more than capable, as shown by the fantastic dance break during ‘When You’re An Addams’ and the charming ballet of ‘The Moon and Me’.

Costumes were good throughout, for both the principals and chorus.  There were also some really nice lighting effects, such as in the Crypt and during Gomez’s ‘cut away’ moments to the audience.  Scene changes were quickly and efficiently made by the backstage team – well done to them! 

All in all, this was another very enjoyable show from the Top Box production line – the twelfth they’ve staged this year, with three more to come.  I genuinely don’t know how Tracy and Georgie do it, but I am glad they do, as, I am sure, are the young performers whose talent they nurture so effectively.  Congratulations to one and all, and I’ll see you at the next one!

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