The Addams Family (Star-Struck Theatre Company)

Yes, it's that scary bunch in Central Park, New York, decamped to the Mill Theatre in Sedgley to spread their own brand of 'entertainment' in the West Midlands.

With the pressure of on-stage acting, it's not very often that one gets to see a performer exhibit true enjoyment in a role but, it felt as though that was exactly the case with Benjamin Burdall's portrayal of Gomez Addams, a subtle mix of comedy, pathos and paternalism all wrapped-up with a powerful vocal. Somewhat harder for Beth Berwick-Lowe to exhibit the same enjoyment without breaking some exquisite characterisation as Morticia Addams, a stunning performance and a hint of a smile in the really entertaining 'Just Around The Corner' number.

This is a storyline all about Wednesday Addams falling in love (something to say the least, she is not familiar with) and it would be difficult not to fall for Holly Page's performance as the crossbow wielding daughter, her rendition of 'Pulled' is exceptional. Her love interest is the 'normal' (well relatively considering he has fallen for Wednesday) Lucas Beineke, played with abounding enthusiasm and I am guessing a little trepidation (now he understands the Addams ethos) by Isaac Batt.

With his sister now occupied 'in love', it is all getting a bit much for young Pugsley Addams, a dark yet touching performance from Thomas Bastable, who will torture him, perhaps seal him up in the wall or generally abuse him, in her absence. Well that is not obvious so he takes the situation into his own hands with the assistance of his crazy old Grandma (a thoroughly compelling and occasionally genuinely scary performance from Helen Hollis) and a drop of acremonium.

However if you are going to administer illicit pills and potions, make sure the right person takes them and not in this case Alice Beineke, mother of Lucas and a performance of two halves from Vicky Bull, pre interval quiet and demure, post interval much more dominant, just how this character should be and the turning-point is a showstopping portion of the 'Full Disclosure' number, I am not sure there is a superlative to properly describe it, I will go with 'phenomenal' although I am not sure that does it justice. All of course somewhat to the exasperation of husband Mal Beineke, a measured and controlled performance in the face of adversity from James Collins.

It's a strange story and that needs a strange narrator to keep things moving along at the right pace, who better than Uncle Fester, excitable, bald, able to light a bulb in his mouth, obviously not getting a lot of sleep and lover of the moon, who better and played with crazy abandonment by Patrick Lewis. Completing the Addams household is butler Lurch, a character of few words but, imposing stature and created perfectly by Henry Shore.

Risen from the crypt are a talented ensemble of Addams relatives, difficult to mention everybody individually but, I have to highlight Nick Westley-Smith's on point caveman who created an audience chuckle every time he appeared.

Under the direction of Ashley Wilkes (Producer/Director), Karl Babarczi (Musical Director) and Emilie Walters (Choreographer) this is another piece of winning musical theatre from Star-Struck Theatre Company, so if you are thinking 'Not Today', think again and get yourself a ticket while you still can.


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