The Addams Family - A new musical comedy
Manor Musical Theatre Company
Sutton Coldfield Town Hall
****
Its ten years
now since The
Addams Family, a new musical comedy,
first appeared after its try out in 2009.The musical follows a
recognised trend for taking well known TV or film formats and bolting on
a bunch of songs.
Around the same time
Legally Blonde, Shrek, 101
Dalmatians and even
Bonnie and Clyde
were getting the musical treatment so why not this much loved TV
programme.
Originally screened in the 1960s this mad cap
story of a ghoulish family was based on a newspaper cartoon made back in
1938 and also then had a big screen reboot in 1991. Andrew Lippa was
responsible for creating the songs for the book written by Marshall
Brickman and Rick Ellis.
At the head of this spooky family is Gomez,
played here by Mark Skett in his first show with the Manor Company.
Gomez is the swashbuckling Latin husband devoted to his gothic wife.
Mr Skett made a very good debut and was highly
entertaining in the role. Morticia played brilliantly by Beth Hooper is
the deathly pale wife and mother to daughter Wednesday and son Pugsley.
Beth proved to have a great voice and managed to
keep a very straight face during some very funny moments. Karrise
Willetts was daughter Wednesday, around who the story centres. Wednesday
has fallen for a normal, ordinary young man and is intent on keeping the
secret of their possible marriage from her mother.
Karrise's excellent voice and performance was
matched by Tom Lafferty as Lucas her love interest. Tom was another
performer making his stage debut with Manor.
Adding to the ghoulish fun was Andy Hooper as
Uncle Fester who bravely self-accompanied himself on several musical
numbers and Kate Dyer as Grandma. Said to be 102, Grandma trundles
around the house with her potions apparently hiding out in the loft and
smoking illegal substances.
Jack Dolaghan was the son Pugsley yet another
player to be making an excellent debut on the night. Megan Daniels
threatened to steal the show as Alice, Lucas’s mother with her part in
the song Full Disclosure which calls for her transformation from timid
housewife to sexy diva after accidently drinking a potion.
Miss Daniels has a powerful voice and being yet
again another to make her debut for Manor, proved herself to be a very
worthy addition to the company. There was also great support from
Richard Parry as Mal her husband and James Dolaghan as the gloomy Lurch.
With an additional 23 other performers making up
the ghostly ancestors this is one big production.
There was no expense spared either in a high
quality 12 piece orchestra led by Conductor Tim Harding or the fantastic
set and the spectacular range of ghostly and gothic costumes. All this
was a massive undertaking by the company and the detail and commitment
to quality by Directors Pam and James Garrigton was evident.
The Manor Musical Theatre Company has spared no
expense it seems in bringing this highly entertaining musical to the
Sutton Stage. It’s a fun production that’s deserves greater
support and even though we might be a long way from Halloween, go see
it, as it’s a Hell of a Night. To 23-03-19
Jeff Grant
19-03-19
|
