‘The Addams Family’ review
‘A dark, moody, humorous performance with unique moments of sheer joy’
Foot of the Hill Theatre Company’s performance of The Addams Family was an engaging and thrilling journey, which incorporated heartfelt emotion with witty and ironic comedy.
Directed by Emma Race (assisted by Charlotte Blair), the production embraced the eccentric nature of the Addams family, with a particular focus on exaggerating the witty style of humour throughout. It was notable how Race embraced the contrast between playful qualities and Gothic grandiose, embodied in full by Gomez (played by Harry Graves) and Morticia (played by Georgia Hitchcock). Graves and Hitchcock particularly reflected this through their movement and dance, with a fierce and dramatic tango, showing their unwavering devotion, yet unconventional love for one another. Graves’ eerie and playful characterisation of Gomez was very comedic, complemented by a sweet tone to his voice, while Hitchcock’s vocals perfectly reflected the gothic and dramatic eeriness of the family.
The staging also aided this contrasting approach, particularly for more intimate scenes. The use of an additional side platform was an effective tool, particularly for clever contrast between the two wildly different families. Ensemble members regularly used the front of the stage, however the small gap between that and the front row of the audience meant that this sometimes distracted from the fierce and passionate nature of these tango dances. However, the cast was versatile in adapting to tricky stage dimensions, with a particularly unforgiving stage depth, and dealt with technical issues admirably.
Vocally, there were sheer moments of brilliance. One of these moments was in the song “Pulled”, where Wednesday (played by Anna Pile) reflects on her emotional journey and feelings for Lucas (played by Alex McNiece) while torturing younger brother Pugsley (played by Al Palmer). Pile’s voice soared; she sang stylishly with electric energy and deep emotional intensity that was fiercely engaging. Palmer returns later to express their fear about Wednesday’s relationship with Lucas in “What If”. Palmer beautifully blended a vaudeville-style with a deeply emotional and intense sound; it was projected with exquisite clarity and was simply stunning. McNiece’s characterisation of Lucas is particularly effective, which emboldened the stark contrast between the Addams and the Beineke family. Throughout, there was a level of captivation which was truly engaging. There were moments during the ensemble songs where the harmonies sounded slightly unsure, however these were overshadowed by hilarious comedic interventions.
While the absence of a band in a musical is certainly common, the use of edited backing tracks did create ensemble difficulties and there were sometimes stutters, particularly in anticipating the start of certain musical numbers. However, it is commendable that Musical Director Misha Joshi (assisted by Daniel Wall) was able to work and blend such a unique range of singing voices, which contributed towards a playful and dramatic musical style.
There were deeply entertaining performances from a range of characters. Aaryn McDonald-Brown as Fester impressed with a terrifically comedic interpretation which gripped the audience. The everlasting deeply creepy presence of Lurch (played hilariously by Samuel Blazey) often reminded the audience of the macabre nature of the Addams family. To contrast this, Mal and Alice Beineke (played by Callum Ryan and Talia Tobias respectively) perfectly typified the conventional lifestyle, reflecting what it’s like to be “normal.” Another special mention should also go to Ancestor and Dance Captain Amelia Symmons, who fully embraces the anarchic and chaotic nature of the group.
The lighting (designed by Leyla Aysan Montoya, and operated by Heather McManus) truly brought this musical to life. It reflected the gothic, eccentric nature of the story. The use of angled front and back lights created shadows that emphasized the creepy nature and presence of the Addams Family; the make-up also deeply contributed towards their whimsical and morbid nature, and the Production Manager Carlos Davies can be praised for keeping the many different production elements consistent and focused. Choreographic elements (by Abby Clay) used were wide-ranging and added drama and emotion, however at times there were some slightly random movements. Nevertheless, the cast delivered an engaging range of dances.
Overall, this was a dark, moody, humorous performance with unique moments of sheer joy. Plenty of laughs, clever lighting designs, and fierce make-up contributed towards an engaging evening of dark comedy.
By Zac Smith.