The Addams Family: The Musical Comedy – The Lowry, Salford

You’re being pulled in a new direction – this time to The Lowry, for its latest touring production of The Addams Family: The Musical Comedy. Having launched in Broadway in 2010, the show continues to give yet another insight into the creepiest and kookiest family of them all, with a stellar cast including Alexandra Burke as Morticia Addams, Ricardo Afonso as her devoted husband Gomez and Lesley Joseph as Grandma.

It’s hard to believe that one of the most famous fictional families has been around for nearly 80 years – charming audiences with their black humour and fascination with all things deadly and macabre. Like any family, they are powered by love and a whole lot of crazy – and in this version of the story, the focus is on Wednesday (Maria Garrett) and her twisted ‘coming of age’ story as she falls in love with Lucas Beineke (Jacob Fowler) from a seemingly all too normal and well-to-do family unit.

By now, many musical theatre fans will be familiar with some of the most popular musical numbers from the production – Wednesday’s Pulled (sung beautifully by cover Garrett) and the full company opening number When You’re An Addams, which is a fun and nostalgic way to set the scene and tone for the show. And while other parts of Andrew Lippa’s score are more forgettable, there’s certainly some other lesser known songs in there – namely Full Disclosure and But Love, both from Act One (the strongest of the two acts) – that are fun, catchy and a real treat for audiences.

A lot of effort has been put into the characterisation of these well-loved and iconic parts, originally created by Charles Addams. Every performer has the right look and persona of the character they are portraying – from the pin-striped suit of Gomez, to the long black hair and crossed arms of Morticia, to the bald head and hunched shoulders of Uncle Fester, the creative team and cast have worked together beautifully to truly bring these parts to life. Clive Rowe, in particular as the comedic narrator Uncle Fester, couldn’t be more perfectly cast and Afonso, Garrett and the ensemble of summoned ancestors also deliver highly memorable performances.

For Burke, this is a different casting than what we are perhaps used to. A lot of focus has gone into her acting of the sultry and serious Morticia and this definitely pays off. But when you know what she can do vocally from her pop and musical theatre career to date (if you saw her in Sister Act, you won’t have forgotten that performance in a hurry), then her solos are a little underwhelming. She could definitely do more to build her numbers up and there’s also scope to end these with one of the spine-tingling belts we know she’s capable of. Why these have been toned down is questionable, when all the other leads have big moments in the spotlight.

But all in all, for the two and a half hours you’re at the theatre, from the moment the iconic hand Thing clicks its fingers, you are truly immersed into the barmy world of the Addams’ – transported into their gothic home with an impressive layered set by Diego Pitarch, a tight cast and a light-hearted story that brings generations together and proves ‘it’s family first and family last and family by and by.