Reviewed by: Sophie King

Editor: Oscar Lidgerwood

Let me introduce you to the Addams Family. 

One loves to be tortured, one solely converses in grunts, one’s in love with the moon, and all are a strange assortment of people who embrace the macabre and the eerie. 

An absurd, chaotic bunch of people, who are family.  A very weird family.  

But I suppose, aren’t all? 

I knew very little about The Addams Family before I attended Thursday evening’s show. This is surprising considering the popularity, and the new Netflix show, ‘Wednesday’ that has been bombarding social media. I was well- voiced on the hype and the different remakes, but I did not know what to anticipate for this cultural phenomenon and was nervous as I sat down in the Union Theatre for my first encounter with this infamous family.  

And well, Trinity’s Production was unquestionably a great first introduction.

The musical comedy with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, and the script by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice is based on the Addams Family comic strip characters created by cartoonist Charles Addams. The musical opened on Broadway in 2010, and since then has captivated audiences internationally. 

The musical is abundant with quick-witted, fiery one-liners that the cast delivered with a perfect incongruity and self-assured brevity. A fast-paced barrage of jokes that is swiftly intertwined with the songs, that one could easily miss the underlying tenderness and love that drives the plot.  However, at its core, The Addams Family is a story of family and loyalty.  A story of growing up and working out how to define yourself outside of your family.  A story all too familiar to myself, and I assume many other University students, as we strive to separate what our parents want from us and what we want for ourselves. 

Wednesday does just this. Wednesday Addams defies her parents’ ethos, and rebels from her family, and she falls in love. Falls in love with Lucas Beineke.  A completely normal young man. This attraction is unseen of from her family, and also from Lucas’ parents who represent the Addams antithesis. Their tightknit unit of three, symbolic of an ideal American nuclear family is ridden with their own issues. Both families meet in the name of their childrens’ love, their differences collide, and the musical chaos ensues from there…

The musical begins with the character’s voices flooding the theatre, their unique, comical tones reading the pre-show announcements and transporting you straight to this other slightly creepy, yet impish world. The curtains open to reveal the paradoxical setting of a classic family home that is cornered with elements of a haunted house. This simple, yet effective setting composed by Isla Mason, remains stagnant for most the show. However, the place and time is changed by the myriad of unique props (created by Michelle Clewey) and creation of lightning that transport us to different settings and weather conditions swiftly. The set and lighting coupling to create this entrancing menage of the kooky, underground world of New York City.  My favourite prop is the torture device from which Pugsley Addams (Charlie Morris) so willingly embraces his pain.  

In his directorial debut, Oscar Hegge does a brilliant job at ensuring the comedic elements are executed, yet also ensuring the familial love and charm is endured. This is electrified in the moments of chorus, and thrilling, ensemble work. Then also the lighting maintained with an array blues and the use of spotlight, which highlights the subtle moments of individuals monologue and song. The lighting (designed by Harlan White) was used skilfully to focus attention to principal characters and punchlines when necessary. 

The performance cultivates intense theatricality. Mr Addams (Sam Prins) enters with such a lavish, disturbing stance, that he immediately commands the stage as his own, and held out attention from then on. Nevertheless, all actors weave together seamlessly, every actor embracing their character’s quirks and commits to the comedic purpose. I do wish there had been slightly more chemistry in the salsa scene between Gomez and Morticia, but both actors individually possessed such prowess that I couldn’t help but be captured watching their every move.

The characters Grandma, (Willow Plex), Lurch (Patrick Morgan) and Pugsley (Charlie Morris) are especially fabulous in their execution of the comedic conventions. Plex notably captivated me for most of the show with her quirky posture, strange but outbursts. 

Uncle Fester’s (Ollie Jones) adoration of the moon is also one of the funniest moments of the night. Jones mastering the sunken eyes and deranged smile of the dotable narrator to wield the most endearing line, “You’re probably thinking: what could a fat bald person of no specific sexuality know about love? But I, too, am in love. Fester loves [the moon].” 

The costumes, presented by Molly Vulcan accompanied the characters seamlessly, as does the dance. The choreography of Lily Turner creatively reimagines the ancestors to embody a moving image of death, the chorus beautifully supporting the cast to portray a comical, yet haunting image that is the crux of the performance, and really bring the stage to life. 

However, I think what was most impressive about the entire night was the vocals. The vocals do indeed, rise with the dead, as the ancestors and every single cast member confidently holds their tune. An impressive feat for a college musical, that I suppose strives to include almost everyone in the performance.  But everyone that they did include could most definitely sing.  Lurch’s surprise performance at the end was phenomenal, that it felt almost criminal that this was the only time we were able to hear him sing. 

The jokes are somewhat groaningly cringe, and the happy ending is predicable, but it’s all you could really want. Trinity College’s endearing tale of loyalty and family made me miss my own and appreciate all their quirks just a little bit more. The world echoes a strong love for the beautiful anarchy of the Addams Family, and now I can understand why.  

Trinity College’s ‘The Addams Family’ ran from the 10-12 of May 2023 at Union Theatre