The Addams Family

The Addams Family

By Marshall Bickman, Rick Elice, and Andrew Lippa. John Curtin College of the Arts. Directed by Lisa McCormack and Michelle Ezzy. John Curtin College of the Arts Theatre, Fremantle WA. May 22-25, 2019

John Curtin College of the Arts is a Western Australian High School with Gifted and Talented Arts program, with selective courses including music, dance, drama and music theatre. The Addams Family featured Yr 11 and 12 Music Theatre students, and was performed in the school’s well-appointed theatre, with direction and choreography by guest director/choreographer Lisa McCormack and John Curtin’s Music Theatre Co-ordinator Michelle Ezzy. It was this reviewer’s first show at JC, and I was not disappointed.

Lea Klein’s well designed set gives us a doll-house like, yet imposing, Addams house, with adjoining graveyard, in which Musical Director Harry Oliffe’s talented 12 piece band is placed.

Patriarch Gomez Addams is superbly played by Thomas Matthews with a very John Astin-like vibe. He had wonderful emotional and physical chemistry with Maia Harcourt’s sophisticated Morticia. Amalie Meneghetti brought a gorgeous vocal performance to Wednesday Addams, with her rendition of “Pulled” pulling the biggest applause of the night. Ella Hardy Atkins was lovely as confused little brother Pugsley.

Gabe Sharra brought outstanding comic timing and the occasional epic falsetto as an excellent Uncle Fester, with Ashley Barrin owning the stage in her best moments as Grandma Addams. Liam Hurley was lovely as a tall and almost silent Lurch, revealing a lovely bass later in the show.

The visiting Beineke family were well played by Mayarn Little Bell, as Alice, who grabbed “her moment” with both hands, Neketa Buck who brought maturity to Mal and Julian Cope (Lucas) as a likably unlikely boyfriend for Wednesday.

A small (10 member) chorus worked very well throughout, as the Addams Family Ancestors returned from the dead. Lovely individual performances with a solid ensemble mindset.

I loved the obvious camaraderie of this production, with a cast that have a true zest for performing and a true support for each other. I was a little surprised that this mid-run performance was not a sell-out, given the school’s reputation and the fact that the school is packed with theatre-lovers, not to mention the talent and enthusiasm of the cast. A lovely show-case that sent its audience home feeling good.

Kimberley Shaw