New Wimbledon Theatre, London – until Saturday 19th February 2022
Reviewed by Amber Mills
5*****
WOW! This show was magnificent!
The energy from the whole cast was through the roof! I became lost in the action, and everything felt real. Every character in this show has a very bold personality that shone through to me as an audience member. For a person who’s never seen ‘The Addams Family’ before I understood the story line and believed these characters throughout.
I’ve never been to a show where the ensemble dancers are consistently full out throughout the performance. When each of them came onto that stage every movement was together, it was dynamic, meaningful, and full out with feeling. Each of their character’s personalities shone through which made this performance more chilling and powerful to watch.
The make-up and costumes last night were immaculate and very professional. The set on stage was impeccably detailed and was seamless when transforming scenes. There were some very clever set choices, which included the ensemble dancers. This for me had an added effect on that particular scene.
I also thought that the lighting design and smoke/haze for this show were simple but haunting and added a chilling effect when watching.
Even though every member of the cast was outstanding I feel that 3 people stood out to me. One of them was Dickon Gough who played ‘Lurch’. Every movement that he performed, he committed to with purpose. He’s a very understated character throughout the show but I feel he’s one of the most talented because to portray that scatty, unspoken but loyal character takes great skill. Every member of the audience laughed when he came on stage and personally I think he’s a terrific actor.
Matthew Ives who was playing Matador Ancestor has an exceptional stage presence. When all the ‘dead’ characters emerge at the start of Act 1, my eyes were drawn to him straight away for his bold character choices. For me, he took me on a journey and lured me into the magic.
Sario Solomon who played Ring Master Ancestor had exceptional facial expressions. For me, his dance ability shone through and every time there was a dance number he was very good at telling the story through his use of movement.
I loved the quirky choreography, as it just fitted the show perfectly and portrayed the message.
Overall this is a fun-filled, family production that is not to be missed.