Hull New Theatre – until 19th March 2022
Reviewed by Catherine McWilliams
5*****
As the Band started up with the familiar finger clicking theme tune, I wasn’t at all sure what to expect of The Addams Family, what I got was a fun-filled heart-warming musical full of fabulous music. Lighting, scenery and costumes added to the atmosphere and made this a cracking night out.
The Addams Family The Musical Comedy is based on the characters created by Charles Addams with the book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice and music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa. The story revolves around Wednesday Addams (Kingsley Morton) who has grown up and fallen in love with Lucas Beineke (Ahmed Hamad), Lucas’s family are coming to dinner and Wednesday is pleading with her family to behave “normally”. Of course, this is The Addams Family who do not do “normal” so things do not go to plan which leads to delightfully delicious chaos!
The entire cast is superb, music and singing is outstanding, the choreography (Alistair David) is tight and visually very effective and Diego Pitarch’s design superbly gothic and spooky. From the moment the music starts you will be hooked, timing is fabulous, there are laugh out loud moments and the most wonderful throw away lines from the cast. However, in the middle of the fun there will suddenly be the most touching moment as The Addams Family may be kooky and very, very odd but ultimately, they are a strong family unit who love each other and it is family love that drives this musical.
Joanne Clifton as Morticia and Cameron Blakely as Gomez lead the family and what a partnership this is, they play off one another so well and both have the most incredible singing voices. Joanne Clifton’s Morticia is cool and understated as she glides around the stage, whilst Cameron Blakely’s Gomez is almost frenetic at times but then he will show a much softer side to the character. From start to finish they are both incredible, I particularly loved “Not Today” sung by Gomez, and Morticia’s rendition of “Just Around The Corner”.
Matt Slack is a brilliant Uncle Fester, perhaps the most eccentric of all the family but caring about them all. There were many superb moments but “The Moon And Me” was a sheer delight.
Kingsley Morton’s Wednesday was suitably strong and feisty yet still had the edge of uncertainty of youth, Ahmed Hamad (Lucas) bounced off her beautifully as he so clearly wondered at times what he was getting himself into.
Sean Kingsley as Mal and Kara Lane as Alice were so right as Lucas’s parents, uptight and totally out of their depth. Grant McIntyre was a pugnacious and obnoxious Pugsley, Carol Ball a mischievous eccentric Grandma and Ryan Bennett delivered a slightly menacing Lurch.
The ensemble who played the Ancestors were excellent. In their wonderfully spooky costumes they added to the atmosphere. Their singing and choreography was tight and beautifully performed.
The Band led by Bob Broad was excellent, whether they were delivering tango rhythms, Charleston or music which gave a nod to the early Broadway musicals.
Everything about The Addams Family shouts quality, from the lighting to the costumes to the music and to the outstanding performances of all this supremely talented cast. This really is the most fantastic night out. At the end of the performance the audience at the Hull New Theatre quite rightly roared their approval, we had just watched a fabulous performance. I cannot recommend The Addams Family highly enough, there was absolutely nothing to criticise this is not a 5-star performance but a 5 star + performance.