For five fantastic days from the 23 to 27 May 2017, The Addams Family UK Tour came to the Marlowe Theatre and earned itself a spooktacular five star review.
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When you're an Addams, you share a Full Disclosure. So it goes without saying that The Addams Family is wonderful and witty and wretchedly watchable in a way I think an Addams would be proud. The show is vibrant and vivacious, the staging is superb and before the first scene even started the audience was click-clicking along. The problem (and I use the word lightly) with seeing a musical or performance for the first time without knowing much about it beforehand, means you inevitably leave the show wanting to immediately press rewind and watch it all again. Arguably even more so with The Addams Family because it's such an ensemble production. The plot is packed full of an array of memorable musical numbers and substantial character arcs, plus the ensemble, with their individual identities, are a totally integral part of the whole performance. In case it wasn't already clear, the show is bloody brilliant (although, thankfully, not actually all that bloody!) And a note for any fellow arachnophobes; rejoice. With the exception of Wednesday's extremely apt earrings, there is not (as some may have feared, myself very much included) a spider in sight. Ah, relief...
When you're an Addams, you might be underrated. Crazy might be underrated but something that definitely should not be underrated is the sheer amount of talent taking up the space on that one stage. Samantha Womack makes for an amusingly morbid Morticia performing decisively deadpan opposite the fantastically flamboyant Gomez, played perfectly by Cameron Blakely. It's impossible to do anything else, but definitely keep your eye on Blakely during Full Disclosure - he is simply beyond brilliant and it's a testament to the professionalism of the entire cast (and crew) that no one breaks character throughout that entire scene. Just genius. Lurch may be the dark horse in an already dark and brooding family, while Charlotte Page's performance as Alice Beineke perhaps has the biggest, brightest story arc of them all. Oliver Ormson is adorable as loved-up Lucas but to be honest, every single person on (and behind) the stage is just a pure joy to share an evening with. Having seats on the side meant full view of the orchestra pit and Andrew Hilton might be the most enthusiastic MD to ever grace the planet. You could call him the unsung hero of the show, except he seems to rejoice in mouthing along to most of the show's soundtrack (talk about multi-tasking!)
When you're an Addams, you might be wild like Wednesday. Yes, there is some satisfaction to be gained from having unintentionally watched Wednesday Addams on a Wednesday. It's impossible not to mention Carrie Hope Fletcher, who pulls at your heartstrings with an earnest (but still suitably eerie) performance as Wednesday, complete with a crossbow and an attitude that Katniss Everdeen herself might be jealous of (except, of course, Katniss shot arrows with a bow in somewhere a little less conspicuous than NYC...) Hearing Carrie perform Pulled on Youtube is amazing but hearing it live in a theatre is just a whole other ball game. It was a genuine privilege to witness such a phenomenal performance first hand and the entire auditorium seemed to agree. In fact, nipping to the loo in the interval led to overhearing at least three different people commenting on how amazing and astounding Carrie's performance was (although the quote of the night possibly belongs to a vastly stylish woman whose somewhat aristocratic accent was absolutely appreciative of the show, as the first half had already quelled her qualms that it might not be the show for her. Turns out, it absolutely was!) I have a theory that there's a moment in every show that people wish they could capture. Not necessarily the same moment of course, but there will be a moment, or a snippet, you just want to savour. Like saving the last drops of a perfume bottle to come back to when you feel nostalgic. The magic of theatre is that you have to commit a performance to memory in order to relive it, but you're so caught up in the moment that it's impossible to think of anything else besides the then and now. In The Lion King it's the first heart-shattering opening number; in Matilda, it's the so simple but so sincere staging of When I Grow Up and In The Addams Family, it's without a doubt the crushing crescendo at the close of Pulled. Carrie absolutely killed it (which is pretty appropriate, since she's an Addams. Ahem. I'll go..)
When you're an Addams, you might be dead from dancing. Having the Addams' ancestors around is such an innovative way of really making the most out of the ensemble. They have some seriously intense choreography to nail, but they should be experts at that (nail.. coffin... I'm sorry, I really will go.) Hugest props go to Jessica Buckby for wearing pointe shoes for the entire first act (and maybe even some of the second?) Granted, that is what ballet companies do for real, for days on end, but still.. it's impressive. The costumes for the ensemble are really so exquisite though too, and (surprise, surprise) the ballerina one is a firm favourite with its sequinned layered skirt that shone under the stage lights. The make up, the music, the accents, the acting - all of it was just brilliant.
When you're an Addams, you might find a new obsession. In case it wasn't clear, The Addams Family UK tour is fantastic and if you're feeling in any way pulled to go and see it, definitely, definitely do.
