The Addams Family

Last Tuesday I went along to the King’s Theatre in Glasgow with Raj and co to go and see The Addams Family. When Raj had suggested the trip I knew nothing about the production but I knew I’d liked The Addams Family movies and the cartoon series as a kid, and that something like this in the middle of October was bound to be fun.

So when I arrived and it quickly became apparent that the production was a musical, I was a little surprised, but not disappointed. The story runs as follows: The Addams Family are having their yearly celebration of their deceased ancestors and have opened the family crypt to let them all out for the party. At the end of the celebrations, Uncle Fester locks the crypt before the ancestors can get back in because he wants their help. He has found out that Wednesday has fallen in love and he wants all the help he can get to make sure that this new romance blossoms.

 

Da da da da *click click* (This image is from an earlier production, since The King’s doesn’t like people taking photos. Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

 

Meanwhile, a dinner party is being planned to introduce The Addams Family to Wednesday’s boyfriend’s family. Wednesday confides in Gomez about how serious her relationship is but makes him promise not to tell Morticia. Gomez is torn between loyalty to his daughter and loyalty to his wife. Poor Gomez. The boyfriend’s family show up. Shenanigans ensue.

The show presents exactly the kind of silly, light-hearted fun that you’d expect, full of laugh out loud moments and really quite impressive singing, with Carrie Hope Fletcher as Wednesday doing a particularly excellent job, belting out songs wanting Just One Normal Night and about being Crazier Than You. Meanwhile, Fester quite convincingly collects most of the comedy points, gently mocking the audience and eventually admitting that he too, has fallen in love… With the Moon. Of course.

I loved the show and would recommend it to anyone – apart from anything else, it really put me in the mood for Halloween. I wasn’t the only one either – the cast earned themselves a standing ovation from the audience at The Kings (in spite of how hot it was… why is The Kings always roasting?)

That said, I think I would have loved it even more as a kid. If you have a family and you have the chance to see it* then I can’t recommend it enough. Just don’t blame me if everyone has the songs stuck in their head for a few weeks to come.

*The show has now finished in Glasgow now but is on tour, so check out the other dates here.