Spooky season is well and truly upon us, and with that an array of creepy activities for all the family. Whether you are a lover or a hater of Halloween, most of us have seen or heard of the Addams Family in some capacity. You may have started watching the TV series in the 60s, been thrilled by the films in the 90s, or become a more recent fan by watching the animated series in 2019. Whatever your Addams Family ‘poison’ is, there is no doubt in my mind that you will not be disappointed by taking a trip to the Bournemouth Pavillion to see The Addams Family Musical this weekend.
BBLOC are a force to be reckoned with on the local theatre scene and every production that they tackle produces a seamless and enjoyable performance for both audience, crew, musician and performer. The Addams Family is no different. From the moment the band, led by Ian Peters, struck their first chord the theatre was electrified. Ian’s skill created a fantastic sound from both orchestra and cast which blended perfectly. Everything in this production screamed professional, from the amazing sets, props, choreography to, of course, the cast.
Matt Stockham absolutely blew the audience away in the role of Gomez Addams, his comic timing and emotional versatility made for a truly memorable performance. An excellent Gomez would not be complete without an equally excellent Morticia Addams, and Kirstie Rodgers more than rose to the occasion. She brought to life the sexiness and dark humour which is to be expected of Morticia, and delivered us a strong character that the audience completely got behind. The two of them together were mesmerizing, and their tango was simply thrilling.
Sean Hardy brought Uncle Fester to life with a sweet, spooky and narrative version of the popular family member. I particularly enjoyed ‘The Moon And Me’, a beautiful song which was delivered by Fester and the Addams Family ancestors.
In the pivotal role of Wednesday Addams, Sophie May Adnett, for want of a better term, absolutely smashed it. Her portrayal of Wednesday was fun to watch and everything you would expect from the iconic role, whilst also delivering a softer side when with her love interest Lucas Beineke, played by Matthew Traher. These two were another great pairing and thoroughly enjoyable to watch.
We love a bit of light and shade in theatre, and there are no characters so different to that of the Addams family clan than the Beineke family. Sally Wheeler played the role of the sweet, rhyme- delivering Alice Beineke, balancing her kind soft side, and a darker, rather more risqué side later in the show. Her song, ‘Waiting’, was an absolute treat to watch and very funny. In the role of her husband, Mal, Ian Metcalfe delivered a business hungry, emotionally stunted man very well.
Pugsley Addams, played by Alfie Fitzpatrick, absolutely stunned the audience with his vocal capability in ‘What If’. What a powerful voice! Clear as a bell and gorgeous to listen to.
The Addams family line up wouldn’t be complete without Lurch and Grandma, and both Peter Gutteridge and Jo Uzzell delivered their respective parts perfectly. With very little words from Lurch, and perhaps a few too many words at times from Grandma! What fun they both were to watch.
It would be remiss of me to not mention the hard work, professionalism and polished performances of the Addams Family ancestors who brought the show up to a much higher level. Every one of them was fully engaged, and not a foot wrong.
All of this was possible under the direction of Helen Barrington. What a job she must have had, but it has really paid off. The production was slick, fun, thrilling and a real treat to watch.
I cannot recommend this production enough. Get yourself down to Bournemouth this weekend, or Monday. With matinee and evening performances over the next two-days, and a final show on Monday (Halloween), you don’t have long to grab those tickets. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
