I have been looking forward to seeing this show since it was first announced - I have loved the Addams family since I was very young, firstly on TV and then later catching up on Charles Addams' cartoons. To be honest, Carolyn Jones, the original Morticia, was probably my first crush and I even bought a lightbulb that lit up in your mouth! I was less of a fan of the films and animated series as they didn't quite capture the family's ethos for me, so I have been dying to see how they translated to the stage.
Well, the cast is fabulous and the casting is spot on! Samantha Womack is a great Morticia, beautiful, funny and slightly scary! I enjoyed Cameron Blakely's Gomez a lot and Carrie Hope Fletcher's Wednesday is a delight as is Charlotte Page's Alice. Sadly Les Dennis was indisposed on the night we went, the part of Fester was made for him (I mean that as a compliment!) but Scott Paige did very well in the role. Cast and ensemble do a great job of moving the show forward, but the show itself feels like it needs some work.
There are some great songs here but the story itself just doesn't move along or engage me like it should - it is so nearly a great show, but not quite despite the cast and band's best efforts. I felt the same about the films, no one has really come up with a storyline that works for me and exploits the comedy and "kookiness" that the Addams potentially have. But you know what, this is a really great evening's entertainment and I laughed a lot.
Thanks all for a fun night out ...
