Review of Catz musical ‘The Addams Family

The Addams family is perhaps one of the best known fictional families, with many adaptations existing including the recent Tim Burton series Wednesday. As such, putting on a performance of the musical of The Addams Family was both a bold and timely move on the part of the team at St Catz Drama Society. I was unfamiliar with the story before arriving; however, the much loved characters were very familiar. Walking into the dark auditorium as the doors opened, I was greeted by strewn cobwebs, the sounds of a storm and all round immersive experience which instantly transported the audience to the world of the Addams’. The stage was set with grave stones and an incredible tree, which instantly had me wondering how it was made. Certainly there was an atmospheric setting for this musical, which given that the auditorium was also a lecture theatre was quite the feat. Moreover, there was a clever set, which could easily be changed between the inside and outside settings, and a moon perched upon the constructed wing completing the effect. For me, the aesthetic of the Addams had clearly been considered and executed by creatives with a passion for the world themselves.

Unfortunately, opening nights can be stressful affairs, with a multitude of unforeseen teething problems coming to the surface, and this was a little to visible in the performance that I attended. With sound checks being done as I entered the auditorium and the signs through the maze that Catz is being unlit, it was not the best start. My initial impression was of an atmosphere of chaos, which I sympathise with greatly. Slow transitions, the occasional trouble with set changes and out of time dance routines aside, however, I am sure that my persistent coughing fits did not help the proceedings (thank you to the crew member who offered me a glass of water). I do admire the ensemble member who managed to gracefully leave the stage to cough near the end of the performance and then seamlessly re-join the action. The ensemble in question were a wonderful array of Addams ancestors, resurrected from their graves in order to serve Fester’s plan of ensuring the survival of Wednesday’s love. Each member was provided with a unique personality through their costumes and makeup, both of which were excellently and eye-catchingly executed. Despite being only singing and dancing roles, there had clearly been thought put into their presence.

Amongst these undead characters were some familiar figures and some which were new to the canon, providing the effect of a night of normal meets abnormal. There was a sense of lessons being taught through this unusual dinner party, as both families tried to be normal so as to be accepted by the other. The moral of simply being yourself is certainly a powerful one to be taken away from the plot. In the vein of being oneself, the character who faced this challenge more than any other was Wednesday, tackling the circumstances of her loved one unexpected hurdle at a time. Victoria Kinne’s performance was a pitch perfect interpretation of the character, being both excellent and authentic to the Wednesday that we all know and love. There was the sense that she was truly embodying the character in a way which was a pleasure to watch. While on the topic of embodying challenging characters, can I just take a moment to discuss Will Shackleton’s Lurch? Despite being a minor character, Lurch was played amazingly, the actor emanating the exact canonical image that the audiences would have had. The movements were performed with slow stiffness and the vocals with the skill of an unselfconscious actor, with the only downside being the volume of the onstage band making his song inaudible. This large orchestra was at times a little too loud for the radio mics to compete with; however, the skill of the musicians is unquestionable and the overtures at the beginning of each half was a wonderful new experience for me in Oxford drama.

The other familiar faces in the show included Gomez, Morticia, Fester, Pugsley and Grandma, each being performed to the established personality of their characters. For me, it was Grace Gordon’s energy as Pugsley that stood out, as she believably conveyed a bouncing and sulking child. Yet, the characters of Fester and Grandma were equally well performed, both actors confidently embracing the challenges that came with the roles. Alongside these quirky characters were the (relatively) normal family of Lucas, Mal and Alice. I say relatively, as, just as with every family, this was very much not the case and it was certainly entertaining see a character who primarily spoke in rhyming poetry. Some will tell you that this was the story of Lucas and Wednesday overcoming challenges in order to save their love; however, a strong case can be argued for it truly being about Alice’s journey from a repressed wife to a liberated (and somewhat crazy) woman. Ella Craddock’s performance of the character’s arc from rhyming housewife through drugged and unhinged dinner guest to freedom was a powerful one, with the acting strength being undeniable.

I could continue to analyse the colourful (or rather monochrome) performance, with it interesting array of songs (‘Pulled’ was stuck in my head for at least twenty four hours) slightly out of time dance routines and strong actors. However, I will leave it with just a few more comments. I am aware that a review on opening night can be more of a curse than a blessing, so I hope that the rest of the run was a far smoother ride than the bumpy beginning. Despite the slightly off putting sight of Morticia’s mic pack distorting the silhouette of her tight-fitting dress, the show was a visually striking one, with the dinner party freeze at the end of the first act being an excellent example. From a creative perspective, a lot of thought and effort had clearly been put into the production.

Taking a strangely thought provoking story about a well-love family of eccentric individuals, the cast and crew of The Addams Family were able to create a musical which left a striking imprint. Of course, there may have been feelings of both happiness and sadness in the outcome of the opening night; however, it was far from a performance which would leave them in a room of cat food and broken dreams. With many strong actors and a clear creative vision, this was a show with a lot to offer and I hope that the following nights enabled them to display this to the musical’s full potential.

Photograph: Laura Hinski Photography ©Laura Hinski