The latest touring production of The Addams Family arrives in Blackpool with a spooktastically wonderful production.
Based on Charles Addams’ beloved cartoons The Addams Family’s appeal has endured through the original black and white 1960’s TV series, the iconic films, and the recent Netflix reboot ‘Wednesday’ proving there is still a huge and enduring appeal for this lovable kooky spooky family. This was clear too on arrival at the busy theatre on a Tuesday night, with many audience members in costume.
The challenge for a stage musical is to capture the macabre humour of the original while also delivering the spectacle expected of modern musical theatre. This production manages that balance with ease.
The premise of the show is love and acceptance. Wednesday Addams, now eighteen, falls in love with Lucas Beineke, a sweet and normal boy from Ohio. This relationship introduces a new dynamic, as Wednesday's parents (Gomez and Morticia) must navigate their daughters desire for independence while grappling with their own fear of change. Matters become even trickier when Wednesday reveals her plan to marry Lucas, swearing Gomez to secrecy, something he has never before kept from Morticia.
As the story unfolds, Wednesday invites Lucas and his parents to dinner, leading to a night filled with comedic misunderstandings and cultural clashes. The Addams family, who embrace their unique values and traditions, must put on a facade of normalcy to impress the Beinekes, which proves to be a challenge given their unconventional lifestyle.
At the centre of the production is Gomez Addams, played by Ricardo Afonso with a buoyant mix of charm and mischief. He effortlessly commands the stage, assuring the audience from is first entrance that the show is in very good hands. His comic timing and vocal performance throughout were exceptional and every song was performed with power or emotion. Happy Sad, in Act 2 with Wednesday, showed too that he was also very capable of pathos. Morticia was played by Alexandra Burke with an icy elegance and her rich vocals helped to enforce a ghoulish and overall polished performance.
The younger cast members were excellent. Lauren Jones as Wednesday played the role superbly and delivered a performance with both biting sarcasm and genuine vulnerability. Jacob Fowler as Lucas, was a perfect foil and there was a real warmth and chemistry between these two characters which made the unlikely romance fully believable. Nicholas McLean played the teenager Pugsley with cheek and charm and his rendition of ‘What If’ was deservedly well received by the audience. Clive Rowe as Uncle Fester and Lesley Joseph as Grandma were the shows comic relief. Rowe confidently drew easy laughs with slapstick and fourth wall breaks. Dale Rapley (Sam Beineke) and Kara Lane (Alice Beineke) were suitably starchy and uptight parents, that is until Alice’s “transformation” in the number ‘Full Disclosure’. Lane’s performance here was exceptional, and it brought the house down.
Lurch (Lee VG) slowed the pace down at every opportunity and his entrance down the stairs as the Beineke’s arrived was perfectly timed and had the audience holding its breath with every step. The ensemble of 7 ghoulish ancestors was a tour de force. (Abigail Brodie, Jak Allen Anderson, J.R. Ballentine, Eamonn Cox, Siobhan Diffin, Maria Garrett, Chloe Gentles and Sario Solomon) They filled the stage with spectacle and style, with their fabulous costumes and slick choreography. They seamlessly moved around the set being seen by the Adams’s and not seen by the Beinekes allowing them to spookily turn pages and make handbags float in in the air!
Choreography by Matthew Ives is slick and at each stage helps the overall visual storytelling. Set design, Diego Pitarch, is perfect, the cast seamlessly moving pieces to fit the scene and give a haunted house feel. The balconies on each side, which allowed cast members to be present or not present in a scene, were particularly effective allowing extra detail and dimension to the story line.
MD Andrew Hilton and his band provided excellent backing to the story, at no point overpowering the performers and when needed, adjusting the tone to provide a rich musical backdrop.
Overall, this is an excellent production, and Matthew White has created a production that is fun to watch, and even though, there are no well-known songs, there is a lot to enjoy here. The first night audience standing to applaud at the end was further confirmation of this must- see production. Certainly, this production should not only be watched during Halloween.
The show runs from 26 August - 30 August 2025
Reviewer - Jen O'Beirne
On - 26.08.2025
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