Review: The Wonderfully Whacky World of LUU MT’s “The Addams Family”
LUU Musical Theatre Society bring to stage their latest production in the form of The Addams Family, which sees daughter Wednesday Addams (Hannah Warrington) fall in love with very much not Gothic Lucas Beineke (Sacha Smith). The families meet for dinner, and delightful shenanigans and chaos ensues.
The set design captured the essence of the Addams Family perfectly, it was just the right amount of gothic without being overbearing. From the cobwebs to the lighting, I was immediately transported: it’s hard to believe this is the same stage that’s been host to shows like Legally Blonde. Even with the house lights up the set is impressive, real credit to Backstage Society is due here, you could see just how dedicated they are as a team with even the smallest props making a big impact (especially that little bird!).
The costumes were incredibly cohesive, and I really appreciated how they told a story through each ghost, it’s hard to do that when the characters don’t actually speak, but the production team nailed it. The staging and choreography were playful and fun, and we even got a view of characters up close from their visits down the aisles – a personal favourite show element of mine. Dance breaks were well scattered throughout without feeling like they were just there to check a box, and to quote verbatim from my notes: I love a tap number.
Vocally, this is the best show I’ve ever seen from an LUU performance society: from Wednesday’s belts in “Pulled” to Fester’s charming ukulele-clad tunes, the singing in this show was outstanding. The ensemble really held their own, and, at times, their physical comedy had me in stitches.
Hannah Warrington’s Wednesday felt refreshingly bright, whilst also embodying that Addams Family darkness all at the same time. She was balanced out beautifully by Lucas Beineke (Sacha Smith) and their duets – especially ‘Crazier than You’ – were my favourite musical moments of the show.
Ash Mallen’s Uncle Fester provided the majority of laughs for me, he also brought out a side to Fester that makes you want to just put him in your pocket, he was wonderfully charming, as was Annie Higton’s Alice Beineke, and boy can she sing.
But what truly stole the show for me was Aaron Collis as Gomez Addams. His accent was spot on, his characterisation was phenomenal, and his dedication to the role made him a joy to watch. Alongside Eve Yarker as Morticia, they were the perfect oddly charming couple.
Speaking of oddly charming, Poppy Glaze as Grandma Addams was a fantastic addition with her excellent use of physical comedy. I’m always a fan of subtle on-stage comedic moments that are sometimes easily missed, and she peppers these in wonderfully. If you’re heading to the show, watch out for her during “The Game”, it had me laughing in my seat.
The whole family, including Pugsley (Katie Loan) and Lurch (Sam Hensall), worked fantastically as an ensemble, each character had their own time to shine – and elicit a few laughs – without any sense of competition.
It’s clear that the cast and crew of the Addams family are dedicated to their craft, and their enthusiasm translates through the quality and joy felt in the show. The Addams Family showcases all that’s best about student theatre: fun characterisations, a bit of silliness, and some damn good performances. I personally couldn’t think of a better way to spend my evening this weekend.
The Addams Family runs from Thursday 5th – Saturday 7th March. Tickets available through: https://www.universe.com/users/luu-music-theatre-society-CGJDM2
Words by Sophie Fowler