A Culture Clash with The Addams Family

Cheryl Ryan, Kathryn Nikols, Jimmy Suther, Ruth MacCallum, Jon Andrews and John Tweddle. Photo by Steve Vent.

The Addams Family, performed at The Priory Theatre, Kenilworth, from 22 October – 2 November.  Director Nicky Main.

Review by Charles Essex.

The Addams Family was a popular TV series in the 1960s but found a new audience with the Broadway musical version in 2009.  Director Nicky Main took the brave decision to bring this to The Priory stage, with spectacular results.

The premise is the culture clash between the Addams’ macabre family values and the rest of society.  So when Wednesday (Tilly Megan), the Addams’ daughter, falls in love with Lukas (Dexter Robinson), from outside the family circle – in other words he is normal – her father Gomez (Jon Andrews) is torn between her happiness and his love for his wife Morticia (Ruth MacCullum), who wants to preserve the Addams culture. 

Jon Andrews and Ruth MacCallum gave top notch performances in both their acting and singing.  Their chemistry, timing and subtle gestures were key to this successful performance.

Ruth MacCallum and Jon Andrews. Photo by Steve Vent.

Tilly was confident in her role and Dexter conveyed Lukas’s change from awkward lovestruck teenager to ‘cool dude’.  Danielle Burrows and Kevin Wing were Lukas’s parents Alice and Mal.  Like Lukas, Kevin portrayed well a change of character – in his case from buttoned-up predictable and boring to rediscovering the Mal of old.

Alice inadvertently drank a potion which gave Danielle the opportunity to let her hair down, both literally and metaphorically, which was much more convincing than the reeling or staggering drunk acting often seen in amateur theatre. 

The make-up and costuming were outstanding.  John Tweddle as Fester was both ghoulish and vulnerable.  Jimmy Suther’s glacial movements and make-up as Lurch were ideal for the part.

Ashton Gregson’s choreography was first rate throughout and all the cast’s movements were assured.  She choreographed an Argentinian tango for Jon and Ruth, a difficult routine which they successfully performed to the delight of the audience.

This clever script had humour at several levels and was clearly enjoyed by the full house which covered a range of ages.  Director Nicky Main had a difficult task with a large cast and a script involving 20 songs as solos, duets and group numbers but this was a faultless production, and the long run is understandably almost sold out. 

For tickets go to: https://www.priorytheatre.co.uk/