Review: The Addams Family Musical

Every year, The Grand Theatre in London devotes its stage to a production put on by the best the city’s high schools have to offer. The result is as professional, and as well-attended, as any of the other shows at The Grand. It’s been a launching pad for many professional careers because these kids, who audition and rehearse just like any other performers, are the cream of the crop from local performing arts courses. 

I’ve seen a couple of these high school musicals but this year’s has a difference: a relative is in the cast. Our niece Molly, who has been dancing since she was old enough to stand, is in the ensemble. And she, and the entire show, are wonderful.

cartoon versions of the Addams Family main characters
Cartoon ad for the Broadway production of The Addams Family

The Addams Family was a must-watch sitcom for kids of my generation. It only ran from 1964-66 so by the time my brother and I saw it, it was in its fifth or sixth cycle of reruns but we didn’t know that. The stage musical hit Broadway in 2009 and now there are at least three touring companies. Most of us are familiar with the characters Thing, Lurch, Cousin It, Morticia, Gomez, Pugsley, Wednesday and Uncle Fester. I have no recollection of a Grandma, but she was there too. Because of that familiarity, the family can just be presented as-is, and its on with the show about Wednesday falling in love with a boy from a normal family. The humour, spoken or sung, is sharp, wicked and dark and elicits huge laughs. Pugsley’s big concern about Wednesday’s relationship is that she will no longer be around to torture him, which you may remember, is something he enjoys.

The high-schoolers are ridiculously talented and not only do they perform, the costumes and the sets were also created by students. And if you didn’t know this was the “high school musical” of the year, you wouldn’t be able to differentiate it from the high quality of anything else at London’s legendary and most respected theatre venue. This year’s show had an extra bonus with Molly in the cast. If you go, look for the 1920s flapper among the undead. That’s our Moll. *snap snap*