The Addams Family School Edition

LEOS Youth Group presents The Addams Family – School Edition

Based on the characters created by Charles Addams, The Addams Family School Edition tells the story of a family who delight in all things weird and wonderful. When Wednesday Addams falls in love with Lucas Beineke, a perfectly ordinary young man from a very conventional family, the two worlds collide over one unforgettable dinner. Secrets are revealed, relationships are tested and, amongst all the chaos and comedy, the show reminds us that every family is unique.

LEOS Youth Group certainly embraced everything that makes this show so much fun. From the moment the Ancestors appeared, there was a lovely atmosphere in the theatre, and the audience were quickly drawn into the strange world of the Addams family. It was clear that a huge amount of work had gone into every aspect of the production, and the cast looked like they were having as much fun performing it as the audience were watching.

The technical team should be very pleased with what they achieved. The sound was consistently good throughout the evening, with dialogue and vocals coming across clearly, which isn't always easy with a large cast. The lighting worked beautifully to create mood and atmosphere and really helped transport us into the Addams' world. I particularly liked the use of purple and green during Fester's scenes, which suited the character perfectly, and the way the lighting spilled out into the auditorium made the audience feel part of the action.

The costumes immediately established each character and looked fantastic under the lights and the hair and make-up completed the overall look. Everything felt well thought out with great attention to detail.

One of my favourite aspects of the evening was the way the Ancestors were used throughout the production. They weren't simply there to sing and dance, they became an integral part of the storytelling. Moving the scenery while staying completely in character meant the scene changes became part of the action rather than interrupting it. It was also lovely to see that each Ancestor had developed their own personality. They all looked different, moved differently and reacted differently, making them interesting to watch whenever they were on stage.

Stevie Kirkham looked completely at home as Gomez Addams, he provided a humorous and caring portrayal of the character and a lovely family rapport with both the women in his life, Morticia his wife played by Phoebe Litherland, and Wednesday his daughter played by Roisin Parker, the trio provided great comedy and character timing. Louie Drake played the role of Pugsley well and his scenes, particularly in the torture chamber, had the audience laughing out loud.

Nathan Crookdake made an excellent Lurch. Although the role is often understated, Nathan's stage presence meant he was always noticed, and then came the wonderful surprise at the end when he revealed an incredible singing voice that earned a huge round of applause. Ivan Hager brought plenty of fun to the role of Grandma, creating a mischievous character who was always entertaining whenever they appeared.

Owain Jones gave a lovely performance as Lucas Beinecke. He was believable, likeable and provided the perfect contrast to the wonderfully eccentric Addams family, and Tom Lightbown was also thoroughly entertaining as Mal Beineke, whose reactions to everything happening around him produced plenty of laughs. Izzy Pickering gave a very strong performance as Alice Beinecke. Her vocals were excellent throughout and ‘Full Disclosure’ was one of the highlights of the evening.

For me, one of the standout performances came from Findlay Parker as Uncle Fester. He absolutely embraced the role from the moment he walked on stage. Never losing character, his comic timing was excellent, and his ad-libs landed perfectly with the audience. It was obvious he was enjoying himself and that enjoyment spread into the auditorium.

Director Siobhan Parker has clearly encouraged every member of the cast to create a character and that attention to detail really paid off. Musical Director Giles Pettit and Assistant Musical Director Becky Kirkham had prepared the cast well, with confident vocals and strong ensemble singing throughout. The choreography from Eleanor Carty was great, the opening production number immediately set the standard for the evening. I really enjoyed the mix of different dance styles, from the Bunny Hop to the Lindy Hop and everything in between. The choreography was clean, well-rehearsed and performed with confidence. Just Around the Corner was another highlight, full of energy and commitment from the entire company. Assisting Eleanor was Roisin Parker with Creative Movement and Sophie Fletcher and Mairwen Knight as dance captains. 

Behind the scenes, Katie Bird as stage manager ensured everything ran smoothly and the set and staging was fantastic from Roydon Charlesworth, Katie Bird and Becky Kirkham.

The audience were with the cast from the opening number right through to the finale. There was laughter throughout, enthusiastic applause and as the company took their final bows, they were rewarded with a thoroughly deserved standing ovation.

Many congratulations to all involved on a thoroughly enjoyable performance from beginning to end. I look forward to seeing LEOS Youth Group next performance of Footloose Youth Edition in February 2027.

 

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