The iconic Addams Family is being given it’s London Premiere this week at London Bridges Greenwood Theatre. Presented by The Quay Players, an amateur dramatics production of the Broadway Musical written by Andrew Lippa. I put on a long black wig and dress and shimmied along to check it out, channeling my best Morticia!
Wednesday Addams (daughter of Gomez and Morticia) has come to that age where she has fallen in love. Lucas (Tim Watson), a boy from a seemingly normal American family has proposed and it’s time to break the news to the families over dinner at the Addams house. The creepy, and kooky and altogether spooky Adams family are far from normal and so as you can imagine the night is doomed from the beginning and a game of ‘Full Disclosure’ after dinner has bizarre consequences!
You can never compare Amateur Dramatics shows to professional productions but like most performers, this is a labour of love. The cast are all involved because they love performing and most of them probably do this in addition to working long hours in an office somewhere. Credit has to be given to them for this. Some performances were better than others but there were three stand out performers for me. Tom Scambler gave a creepy yet loveable portrayal of Gomez and Caroline Smith played the seductively stroppy Morticia with ease. Solfa Carlile really settled into the role of Wednesday and showed her impressive vocal strengths during two of my favourite songs ‘Pulled’ and ‘Crazier Than You’. The set was imaginatively put together and worked well for the production.
The Addams Family is a great musical that feels at home in small venues. I saw the original show on Broadway and think the intimacy of a smaller theatre helps to keep the magic alive. Tonight is their last performance so why not go and check it out?!
Reviewed by West End Wilma