Review: The Addams Family Musical
Bury St Edmunds Operatic & Dramatic Society take to the stage at the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds to present the Addams Family.
The Addams are certainly an unconventional lot, so when daughter Wednesday falls in love and wants to introduce her new boyfriend, Lucus, to her parents the loved-up teenagers decide it’s time for their families to meet. So, a family dinner is planned but, there is nothing ‘normal’ about the Addams clan and Wednesday is worried about how the evening will unfold.
An evening of fun and games ensues, but with some hard truths told and hidden secrets revealed will this tale have a happy ending…?
This is a fabulous production of the Addams Family Musical and is pitched just right in time for Halloween. This am-dram production has been rehearsed to perfection and that hard work shows throughout the performance.
Richard Simpson gives a stellar performance as Gomez, long suffering husband to Katie Addams’ Morticia. The on-stage chemistry between the pair is just brilliant, and very strong vocals from both, a joy to watch.
In fact, Director, Alec Taylor has perfectly cast all of the characters in this production from Sarah Simpson whose comic portrayal of grandma made the audience laugh, Bethany Kennedy’s Uncle Fester was perfectly pitched, the tender moment of unrequited love in the second half was a real surprise and Harry Butcher’s sulky teenager Pugsley, who is up to no good, but for all the right reasons, was fabulous.
In fact, there is no weak link in this performance, with strong vocals throughout and the main cast wonderfully supported on stage by an Ensemble of ‘Ancestors’ this show is worthy of high praise.
But the star of this production has to be Anna Sutton, who deserves a special mention for her portrayal as Wednesday, not only does she just light up the stage and she is extremely watchable with brilliant stage presence, her vocals would not be out of place in a West End Musical, she’s just outstanding.
A show full of brilliant musical numbers, a fabulous story beautifully told by a strong cast. Bury St Edmunds Operatic & Dramatic Society really have created some theatre magic that’s well worth a trip up the A14 to Bury St Edmunds.
The Addams Family will be at the Theatre Royal until 23rd October. Tickets are still available by contacting the Box Office at www.theatreroyal.org.
Review by Wendy Cook, Ipswich24 Magazine
