Having debuted in America in 2009, the musical comedy The Addams Family is finally being produced in the UK, and will arrive in Cardiff at the beginning of August. The story focuses on the now grown up Wednesday Addams, having fallen in love with a sweet young “normal” American boy. With his family set to meet the Addams, presumably some fish out of water gags involving Les Dennis’ Uncle Fester, and a certain sentient severed hand, will ensue from the clash of these two very different family groups.
Not carrying any plot threads from the television programme of the 60s, nor the Barry Sonnenfeld directed films from the 90s, the musical is instead based on the original characters who debuted in the comic strips of Charles Addams in 1938. The story then, featuring an older depiction of Wednesday Addams in the throes of love and belting out Broadway tunes, may prove jarring for those expecting the musical to be more in keeping with previous adaptations they have seen.
Reviews of the production have been somewhat mixed so far, with some papers criticising the flimsy plot. Indeed, the storyline does seem a little thin for a two-act musical featuring 20 songs. The preview footage for the show’s trailer, and a performance of When You’re an Addams on a recent episode of Tonight at the London Palladium failed to impress. The choreography felt slightly awkward and unsynchronised, and a lack of chemistry between Samantha Womack’s Morticia and Cameron Blakely’s Gomez was apparent.
One side which does feel rather more accomplished, however, is the directorial end of the show. The director Matthew White has a large amount of experience in helming these kinds of loud Broadway-style shows, having worked on productions of West Side Story and Little Shop of Horrors. The musical director, Andrew Hilton, will be working on a new production of Young Frankenstein in London this September, so the Gothic atmosphere of the show should be well handled. With Hilton and White having previously collaborated on a recent UK tour of The Producers, hopefully their track record together will pay off in a successful show.
The Addams Family, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, Tue 1 Aug-Sat 12 Aug. Tickets: £16.50 – £39.50. Info: 029 2063 6464 / www.wmc.org.uk
words EDWARD LEE