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The Addams Family Serves Heart for Dinner

9 December 2024 Emelia May

The Addams Family Rating

★★★★★

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Rising from the crypt once more, OSMaD’s production of ‘The Addams Family’ invites us back into the world of everyone’s favourite creepy clan, reanimated with a musical twist. Directed by Joel Anderson, this fresh take finds Wednesday Addams, dark princess of the night, bringing her painfully normal boyfriend home for dinner – a decision that threatens to turn her family’s upside-down world right side up. The horror!

The stage design in this year’s OSMaD production was nothing short of spellbinding, packed with a complex set of moving parts and a graveyard’s worth of ancestors lurking in the background. With so many players, it easily could have felt overwhelming, but each ghostly relative pulled their weight as set dressing, storytellers and comedic relief, bringing a distinct personality as they went. The moving portraits framing the stage were particularly mesmerising, watching the story unfold as if from opera boxes (complete with buckets of popcorn).

The production leaned into practical effects and creative staging, a choice that brought the Addamses to life far more effectively than contemporary elements could. This old-school theatrical approach was so compelling that any digital elements in the production felt unnecessary – the show clearly thrives best on campy, cartoonish charm.

Costuming was another standout feature, working to identify different factions, both dead and alive. The Addams Family, velvet and venomous from head to toe, stood in stark contrast to the sweater-wearing, fatally repressed all-American Beinekes. Head of costuming, Joshua Saunders, had a clear artistic direction, a solid grasp of visual storytelling, and a talent for capturing hearts as the moon-eyed Uncle Fester! His teeny-weeny little astronaut costume was so absurdly endearing it had the audience howling with laughter.

The cast was chock-full of big personalities, led by Demetrius Kiriakidis’s dashing, kooky and fiendishly unforgettable Gomez Addams. Melanie Ott’s Morticia sent hearts (and perhaps a few souls) aflutter with her hypnotic elegance, while Marchella Rusciano-Barrow’s powerhouse vocals brought Wednesday’s rebellious spirit to life. Liz O’Hanlon’s Alice Beineke took the audience completely by surprise with her wild, wine-fueled confession scene, as did Jordan French’s deeply deadpan Lurch. And the dancing – wow! Dylan Henry’s choreography was ambitious, but the ensemble cast tackled it all with boundless energy.

A live band led by Ashton Turner delivered thrills and chills in equal measure. The masterful mix of instruments and vocals struck a perfect balance between spooky, whimsical and comedic beats that kept me utterly hooked the entire show. And those iconic finger snaps are impossible to resist!

OSMaD’s ‘The Addams Family’ is the kind of production that thrives in community theatre – bursting with creativity, heart, and playful spirit. From its brilliant staging to its standout cast, it perfectly captures the quirky charm that makes the Addams family so beloved. ‘The Addams Family’ will be haunting the Geoffrey McComas Theatre until December 14 – catch it if you can.

To book tickets to The Addams Family, please visit https://osmad.com.au/

Photographer: Ken Spence

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

Emelia May

Daddy Long Legs – Long Applause

11 November 202410 November 2024 Debra Campbell

Daddy Long Legs Rating

★★★★★

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What a show! It’s a little bit like a fantastic audio-book with songs and an incredible two person cast having us all holding on for the ending we hope to be. Based on the novel by Jean Webster, the musical of Daddy Long Legs deserved the long applause it received for the Peoples Playhouse Theatre on opening night!

My friend and I sat front row as community theatre gives you that chance to see a show up close and personal, something you cannot get (without a big ticket price) at the professional shows in the city and the talent on stage is no less fabulous. Productions in community theatre are very often insanely good and this one is no exception (at an extremely reasonable ticket price). It’s worth the trip to Mornington even if you don’t live in the area (like me).

Firstly, note-worthy as you go in the door, are the Programs; displayed intriguingly by being in a pile of old-fashioned envelopes complete with a ‘red wax seal’. A very creative member of the team has designed them like a letter of importance at the turn of the century, where this story is set. I love getting the written programs as keepsakes for all the shows I go to and this one is definitely the most unique.

I watched the movie of Daddy Long Legs as a child and, though that was a very long time ago, I remember it well because as a dancer I loved Fred Astaire. There’s no dancing in this musical, but I knew the story well and watching it come to life on stage through script and songs and the art of letter writings recited between the characters made it so beautifully vivid.

Jordi Poyser plays Jervis Pendleton, with his rich family heritage, and Madeline Connolly plays Jerusha Abbott, the oldest orphan in the orphanage, who is given thankful opportunity to study to become a writer with all expenses paid until graduation by an unknown-to-her kindly benefactor ‘Mr Smith’ (of course this is none other than Jervis but she will not discover that for a while). Jerusha will be able to write letters to Mr Smith to tell him how she is going, but he informs in his offer that he will not write to her.

A pitch perfect opening by Madeline (whom I hadn’t seen before) – her gift in voice either singing or speaking to portray any aspect of musical theatre is immediately noticeable and she will only go from strength to strength in this character; she gives it her all from wide-eyed astonishment and giggles to the most real tears I’ve seen on stage this year. She is simply amazing!

Jordi is, as he always is, exceptionally talented (third time I’ve seen him), but this role is definitely more than a little different to the usual script in that the characters are not able to truly inter`act` with each other on the stage. The two of them cannot look at one another directly because they are reading their respective letters in a different place, whereby using their ‘own side’ of the stage set. Both Jordi and Madeline must be sure not to have any actual interaction; this would have been probably quite difficult to get used to. Instead they have to trust one another’s delivery of their lines, lines and more lines until their final scene.

The script is indeed extensive, the art of letter writing is a dying form and naturally Jerusha is an accomplished letter-writer so that in itself is lovely to listen to and yes, Jordi and Madeline have a LOT of lines; in their reading of the letters and also in expressing out loud their thoughts of how the receiver on the other end will perceive those letters. On paper one can envisage anything, but there’s a much bigger story to tell outside of penned words. Both actors get this message across undoubtedly well. Jervis in particular has a number of very funny moments we laugh at in his reaction to reading the words in front of him.

Through her letters to her benefactor, Jerusha will enlighten Mr Smith as to what she is learning in her studies, what she likes and what she does not, who she is friends with and who she is not, what she is excited for and what she is not and how she would love to meet him in person. In return, Jervis (Mr Smith) will eventually respond (through his supposed secretary), but you will need to go and see the show for more answers… will Jerusha find out much about Jervis’ real identity, how will she relate to him if she does one day finally see this ‘old’ man, and, her screaming question – is he bald?

Three exceptional musicians; Damien Mizzi on piano, Frank Nigro on guitar and Lore Burns on cello, make up everyone to be on-stage for the whole show and although you cannot fully see this talented trio at the back of the divided set between Jerusha’s lodgings and Jervis’ accurately dated office, I do think it’s nice to have the music playing live there with a peek at their work close range; just adds that extra personal closeness to what again only community theatre can really provide.

Congratulations to Director, Leah Osburn, and Musical Director, Damien Mizzi, we loved our night out and thank you immensely for taking the time to produce this unusual ‘rags to riches’ show in the way you have. I think that the ‘secret of happiness’ is seeing shows like this one (and I actually do believe you could make it into a musical audio-book). Everyone in the audience felt the connection and I heard another 3-4 guests say in the foyer it was nothing like they expected and was so very good!

Highly recommended: Daddy Long Legs playing 8-16 November 2024

Ticket Link: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1248996

Venue: 4 Albert St, Mornington: The Anglican Centre – Mornington and Mount Martha Anglican Church. Flat floor seating, but the stage is raised. Easy free parking right next door. They operated a canteen at interval and tea/coffee by gold coin donation.

Look out also for the next show and auditions: https://www.peoplesplayhouse.com/home

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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Sweet Charity – Closing Days

26 October 2024 Debra Campbell

Sweet Charity Rating

★★★★★

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Firstly, ‘Sweet Charity’ is a musical with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and book by Neil Simon. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by the legendary Bob Fosse and based on the screenplay for the 1957 Italian film Nights of Cabiria. A show so rich in big name history is no easy feat to pull off and the team at the Mountain District Musical Society currently playing the show at Karralyka Theatre in Ringwood have done an outstanding job.

‘Charity Hope Valentine’ is a taxi dancer, a dance partner-for-hire at a seedy dance hall in New York City. Though the job may be decidedly undesirable, Charity’s hopeful romanticism and unfailing optimism lift her out of her circumstances and help her reach for a life beyond. In the past, she’s been strung along and hung out to dry by a series of bad relationships and lousier men. When she meets Oscar, a neurotic, shy actuary seemingly from another world, will she finally find true love at last?

With a laugh-a-minute script by the incomparable, the audience is destined to fall in love with Charity’s limitless spirit, as she lives life “hopefully ever after.” This exuberant, groovy, hilarious musical comedy includes hits such as Big Spender, If My Friends Could See Me Now, I’m a Brass Band and Baby, Dream Your Dream.

So, having read and seen many a Sweet Charity production before, my expectations are quite high. The “just want to be loved” leading lady Charity is bright and bubbly as played by Madeleine Magetti with an excellent authentic accent from New York. According to the program, this is her dream role, and what a role; this show is all Charity! Madeleine brought to the main character a sense of longing for the audience to feel for her situation, and laughter of course, but we also knew that Charity was seeking even more than love; for acceptance of who she is and the future she dreams of.

‘Oscar’ played by Leigh Roncon was just sooooo much fun, what a talent in comedy! The elevator scene cannot be beaten with claustrophobic Oscar and the upbeat positive Charity trying to hold him together and not panic; it’s professional quality from both of them in this extensive scripting.

There’s LOTS of dancing in the show and LOTS of great musical numbers, the orchestra is a simply amazing; one of the best I’ve heard in an amateur production for sure.

‘Big Spender’ always packs a punch and that theme (that is impossible not to like) is played throughout the show – I loved watching all the girls act it up in their own personality, all of them different but giving the same story to their men visitors “open for business” LOL.

My favourite group rendition was definitely ‘Rhythm of Life’ with Daddy Brubeck played by Jason Sainsbury-King taking over the stage with his band of new age church hippies under the bridge. If you grew up in the 60s you’re going to tap your feet, sing along and enjoy everything about this and the spot-on costuming, full of flower power; I didn’t want it to end!

A standout solo for me was sung by Vittorio played by Julian Campobasso with ‘Too Many Tomorrows’ and the Beehive & Blonde duet ‘Baby Dream Your Dream’ by Nickie and Helene, played by Nicole Kapiniaris-Anson and Hayley Wooten, was only one part of a show filled with their incredible talents as Charity’s two best friends in the dance hall.

The dance hall scenes are great by all the cast and the ensemble too in this show got plenty of shine time, especially in ‘I love to cry at Weddings’ where I think they were able to ad lib and did such a good job.

Bonus points on clever use of the set, the fountain lake, the big window in the apartment and the props and clothes with the line “hide in the wardrobe” – I couldn’t even tell Charity was there in plain sight as she disappeared into the rack.

The supporting cast bounced well off each other. Both my friend and I felt the enthusiasm and love between them all on stage, and the way in which everyone makes up the finale bows was a fabulous finish with tons of applause for all:

Herman: Michael Gibson
Ursula: Ella Miatke
Carmen: Ellen Lane
Rosie: Jessica Clark
Suzanne: Amber Orchard
Betsy: Gaynor Borlase
Frenchy: Stephanie Vienet
Elaine: Jade Bishop
Alice: Olivia Poggi

Ensemble: Katherine Gloss, Samara Trimble, Ainsley Thomson, Steve Atkinson, Talwyn Gibson, Mark Curran, Nick Toovey, Kyah Pritchard.

Congratulations to Director/Choreographer Di Morgan, Musical Director Vicki Quinn and your production team. We loved it – a happy night out with a bestie who also loves musical theatre.

The Karralyka Theatre in Mines Rd Ringwood is one of the best suburban venues – easy to get to, easy parking, comfortable seats and very reasonable ticket prices. Ticket link: https://www.karralyka.com.au/Theatre/Touring-and-Community/MDMS-Presents-Sweet-Charity

The program is great, too. Give whoever put that together for this show a clap. Make sure you get one. I often think amateur theatre programs are better than professional ones. It has lots of information and pictures of everyone in the cast and creative team.

SWEET CHARITY is playing the rest of this weekend until their Sunday, 27 October matinee – ‘you should see it now’ and note in your diary Mary Poppins in June 2025: https://www.mdms.org.au/

Photo credit: Gavin Andrew

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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The Addams Family Inclusical – A Spectrum Of Success!

24 August 202424 August 2024 Debra Campbell

The Addams Family Rating

★★★★★

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Once a year… it’s time for ‘Stars and the Moon Theatre’ to celebrate the stage with their intoxicating Musical Inclusical.

This year it is Wednesday and her kooky family who gather at the Alexander Theatre telling a gripping adventure with swordfights, potions, explosions, and scarier still, family dinners.

Director Lauren McKinnon, Musical Director Charlotte Greenslade, and Choreographer Benjamin Curé, together with an award-winning creative team, have brought the iconic Addams Family to life and it’s WAY better than good.

Stars and the Moon (STaM) is a unique ALL-ABILITIES theatre company. Their castmate model pairs performers with and without disabilities to support each other to make moving and accessible theatre with, not despite, their diversity. It is absolutely AMAZING! At first I did wonder “how will this work”, being on stage together as two people playing one character for all the roles in the show, but IT WORKS and dare I say it as my daughter agreed; we thought it was better than just one person.

Joining the contagious double-clap engages us immediately in the music we know so well… BA DA DA DUM… ‘click click’ and then ‘When You’re an Addams’ kicks in, I almost want to jump up to bunny hop and twist with them all giving quite the spooktacular opening.

So fantastic how they introduced all the “Ancestors” who complete the show atmosphere in strange and deranged costume sets of themes like cavemen, sailors, prisoners, clowns, ballerinas etc etc etc. Such fun and clearly this cast ensemble were loving the experience too. And the make-up, oh the make-up!

The set, the lighting and the energy from everyone on stage is so enthusiastic and who wouldn’t want to shake it with Cousin ITT – my favourite costume of seemingly bodylength dreadlocks, but can the Addam’s family be ‘normal’ for one night?

I’ve always loved the Gomez and Morticia characters. Gomez’ expression on everything is spot on, he’s so entertaining and Morticia is impeccable in her mannerisms and her unique ‘blackness’. Sometimes loving each other to bits and sometimes having a few marital issues, all four bounce off each other as if the roles were made for four people instead of two. The concept is again, genius!

The one-liners keep coming…. I’m still laughing at the hilarious mention of Scomo to Covid 19 and Morticia in the bedroom…

Wednesday as we all know has come into her own fame these days and it must’ve been a thrill to be cast as her – she is everything she should be and might be getting married… or will she? The acting by these girls is very good and they will keep you enthralled.

Pugsley took me back to watching him on The Addams Family re-runs as a kid and his electric chair face, ‘eeeek’… all he wants is for his sister to continue the torture…

The startling appearance of THING at the dining table was timed well and FULL DISCLOSURE showed off overwhelmingly impressive vocal talents – Alice, the mother of Lucas who might marry Wednesday, belting it out and standing on the table (a surprising move for her character) got applause that would’ve woken the dead!

Lurch and Uncle Fester were brilliant and could have stepped straight out of the TV series … they really have got all of this right and everyone plays their parts so well to intertwine this story of family differences.

So, will Gomez’ daughter Wednesday and Mal’s son Lucas tie the knot? Scenes throughout the show are full of comic emotion and messages about how to work things out, but if it all fails, well death is just around the corner to look forward to anyway.

This show was nothing like I expected. Yes, I knew it would be good as I had heard the STaM shows were high standard, but this? I did not expect a show where they could easily play in any theatre in Melbourne and still get a no-hesitation full-standing ovation from even the toughest critics. These people on stage are incredible, they absolutely crush the meaning of ‘all-abilities’, every single one of them – and their abilities as a group, WOW WOW WOW!!

My final note therefore are words from Grandma Addams “stop tik tokking and pick up a book” or grab a script – whoever you are – get into Theatre!

When I wrote this review there were very few tickets left and now they are SOLD OUT, so don’t miss their next show and check out INSTAGRAM @starsandthemoon_theatre or website https://www.starsandthemoon.org/

Theatre notes: Sign language is provided on the side stage with this show and the theatre caters for wheelchair access of course. Performers in wheelchairs are on stage too – remember, this is an ALL abilities show like no other!

Even though I did not personally know anyone in the show, I felt an immense sense of proudness on what this special theatre company had accomplished as they took their bows. Supporting the arts is so important, but supporting all-abilities in the arts, let’s champion these efforts.

Congratulations to the ENTIRE CAST & TEAM:

WEDNESDAY – Ruby Alford & Thanh-Tuok Autran
LUCAS – Alexander Gilbert & Dimitri Gosios
GOMEZ – Gabe Harari & Max Nunes Cesar
MORTICIA – Aisha Sivac & Lizzie Locke
UNCLE FESTER – Mark J Rintoull & Zac Parkes
PUGSLEY – Kade Groves & Meg Heathcote
GRANDMA – Jodi Sanders & Nixy Antmann
ALICE – Ashleigh Cole & Ellie Goldenberg
MAL – Bailey & Tal Ellinson
LURCH – Gilbert Esse & Joseph Folwell
THING – Jaimie Chapman & Viv Kane
COUSIN ITT – Zac Chester & Benji Arndt

ANCESTORS – Amy Tapp, Tamara Stanton, Asher Stanton, Brendan Saffer, Michaela Sacho, Michelle Gauci, Charli Cantoni-Bud, Lyndall Peachman, Ciara Wilson, Bille Ream, Daniel Kraus, Claudia Nanovich, Hope Challis, Monique Lustig, Uri Lowinger, Alice Johnson, Mia Penso, Adam Geller, Mark Polonsky, Conor Wilson, Theodora Tran, Cameron Miller, Kahli Anquetil-Kneale, Tahli McLean, Carlia Slade, Danni Miller, Dani Filip, Devin Goralsky, Ella Dunne Riseley, Netanel Morris, William Jasper, Lexi Kelsall, Zoe Better, Cheryl Plaut, Ebony May, Sally Elliott, Amit Shahar, Kate Skinner, Ryan Wilson.
Stage Manager: Ari Mosberg, Cast Manager: Tyla Manager, Front of House: Netanel Morris, Set Designer: Harry Gill, Costume Designer: Jessamine Moffett, Lighting Designer: Sidney Younger.

THE ADDAMS FAMILY book is by Marshal Brickman and Rick Elice, MUSIC & LYRICS by Andrew Lippa, BASED ON CHARACTERS CREATED by Charles Addams.

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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