The Addams Family

Overview

Charles Adams’ brainchild, The Addams Family, began as an unrelated group of 150 single panel cartoons published in The New Yorker between 1938 and Addam’s death in 1988. Since, the family has grown to the point where the whole world knows of the eccentric American family who have a tendency towards the macabre. There has been television series, films, video games and a musical based around the bizarre clan, and now Wellington’s Repetary Theatre is once again paying tribute to The Addams Family in their new musical venture.

Rather than adapting one of the family’s famous stories, the show is based on an original story, by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice and new lyrics by Andrew Lippa. The tale of Wednesday Addams, the family’s eldest and ultimate gothic chic child has fallen in love. The object of her affections, however, is a smart and respectable man from a conservative family. Her household being the extremely abnormality that it is, Wednesday attempts to keep her love from her family for as long as possible. Finally, the inevitable meet-the-parents dinner is arranged, and Wednesday does everything in her power to keep her insane family in check, as they attempt to appear normal for the boy and his family.

Directed by Ewen Coleman, and with musical director Josh Hopton-Stewart, choreographers Mel Heaphy and Nicki Bramwell, and pianist Sam Rorke, the 20-man cast work together to pull off a never before seen rendition of some more crazy Addam’s family antics.