Of Love and Family (Addams)

Full disclosure, I do not tend to like musicals very much. My only reason for attending the July 10th performance at the Arundel Barn Playhouse for this particular production of the Addams Family Musical is because I love the show. Well, first the movies... then the show!

I'd like to think I am some what versed in the theater but I have to say there was some creativity in this script that I had no expected. For starters, the way that Uncle Fester would occationally break down the fourth wall and address the audience did much to elevate his roll and make him more iconic.

The show opens up with the 1st of many catchy little diddies "When you're an Addams". The scene is that the Addams family have gathered at the family plot in some kind of annual celebration. Some of their ghostly ancestors come alive in the background, a chorus of sorts, and it is explained to us by Uncle Fester that they can not return to the grave until certain matters of the heart are triumphed (more on that later). The ingenious device of adding this ghostly chorus to the production is that they actually help with quick set changes and once interesting effect in the third act (more on that later). Like I said, a lot of creativity. The opening felt very much like A Midsummer Night's Dream or something like that. A whimsical romp.

Not only is Wednesday Addams much older in this story but she is also getting married to, you guessed it, uptight guy from uptight family. That is just one of two major detours from the show's original cannon. That and the fact that the Addams Family house is right smack dab in the middle of Central Park. Clearly a very tongue-in-cheek reference to Broadway but unnecesary and kind of out of place when the production is taking place in Arundel Maine, haha.

So the big thing here is Wednesday and Lucas are getting married, and neither of the parents know yet and this is their first dinner together (See: certain matters of the heart). It plays out how you mgiht expect with a lot of hijinks involved. Think kind of sitcom-y with a little magic serum involved and you've got the basis for a mad-cap get together. Fun to watch with, again, a lot of great musical numbers such as: One Normal Night, Just around the Corner, and Crazier than You

There is a particularly interesting scene in the third act when Lucas, in order to prove his love for Wednesday allows her to shoot an apple of his head whilst blindfolded. I say interesting because, here again, the ghostly chorus, lend an indelible hand in the production, three of them quickly line up on their knees between Wednesday and Lucas and, with their hands, motion the passing of the imaginary arrow. It's actually quite effective. I'm almost impressed by creative uses of pantomine in theater and was pleasently surprised to have discovered this one.

Overall, I would give it 4 and a half out of five stars, mostly because I love anythying to do with the Addams Family. Also, it's always good to support local theater. AND... it was a good script, a good production, with good music. Well worth it, I say!

P.S. -- A few things I forgot to mention, coming back from intermission we were granted our only glimpse of thing... or in this case a fake hand on a remote control car. What can I say? It made me smile #CreativeProduction

AND: it is also discovered at the verye nd that Lurch has the best singing voice :) Truly, I'm not kidding. It was actually quite beautiful.