Review: THE ADDAMS FAMILY MUSICAL at ARTS Theatre

Reviewed by Ewart Shaw, Saturday 10th December 2022.

I've just seen the future of musical theatre in Adelaide. The Alternative Theatre Company, director, Saphron Giannos, musical director, Jarrod Matulick, and choreographer, Jemma Allen, have brought to the Arts Theatre a production of The Addams Family Musical so successful, so brimming with joie de vivre, that the short season of four performances only means that it can't be enjoyed by more Adelaide theatre lovers.

The Addams family is back, though for some of us they never went away. A new TV series follows the daughter Wednesday at boarding school. In this timeline, Wednesday is in love with a normal person. Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice wrote the book, but the music and lyrics are by Andrew Lippa.

I recognized two members of the cast, both of whom received emerging talent nominations from the Adelaide Critics Circle, of which I am a member. Nicholas Munday, in his fourth show this year, is the boyfriend, Lucas. Grace Carter is Wednesday, and let me say, since she was the discarded mistress in last year's Gilbert and Sullivan Society's Evita, her voice has developed into a splendid musical theatre instrument.

The rest of the cast is almost entirely under twenty-five. I wear t-shirts older than that.

Parisya Mosel and Bec Pynor give commanding performances as Gomez and Morticia, and Harrison Thomas, as Pugsley, has an impressive performance history which, considering he's twelve, is quite a start. Zachary Baseby is a hyperactive Fester, camping it up wildly. He shaved his head for the role. Such commitment but, at his age, it's going to grow back.

Lucas's parents arrive for dinner. Alana Lynn is superb as the straight-laced Alice, who bursts free after accidentally sampling one of Grandma's potions. Will Faulds, as the father, Mal, is the one member of the cast whose youth tells against him, but he gets to let his hair down with the best. Grace Mezak turns in a fun performance as potion-blending Grandma. Jason Clark, much older than the rest of the cast, is a Lurch who gets to take centre stage and sing right at the end of the show. He's physically impressive.

The ensemble of ancestors provides solid backing to the action and they take to Jemma Allen's choreography with spirit. Indeed, the dance routines are a highlight of the show. Jarrod Matulick's band, a blend of youth and experience, is very fine but, at times, a little overbearing.

Reading the cast biographies, you can see the importance in their development of our smaller youth companies and our universities as a breeding ground for talent.

There were, sadly, only four performances. Their next production is about Beatrix Potter, and I'm looking forward to it.