The Addams Family Musical, Pavilion Theatre, Worthing

(Photo Credit: LoveHeart Photography)

Join the clan where joy comes from the macabre, black is the warmest colour and imagination festers in the dark. Yes, welcome to the Addams Family. You’ve arrived at an especially serious time: Wednesday has fallen in love with a boy from a family that couldn’t be more…sunshine. Yuck! To top it all off, she plans on making a special announcement over dinner without telling her mother first. As the families collide, long term secrets left buried rise to the surface and one lie threatens to ruin perfectly rotten marital ties. Is it possible to ‘move towards the darkness and love?’

‘The Addams Family Musical’ has been around for about sixteen years. It made its broadway debut in April twenty ten at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Although it was nominated for two Tony awards, it still closed in December the following year. It then had a limited concert run in the West End in February twenty twenty four at the London Palladium and went on tour across various venues around the UK in twenty twenty five. Its biggest success has been in licensing. Since its licensing was released, it has become one of the most popular regional, educational and community shows produced in the US.

Worthing Musical Theatre Company has been around since nineteen seventy three. It is a charity and member of the of the National Operatic and Dramatic Association, aiming to ‘promote the highest standards of performance, accessibility and inclusivity in the arts’ through their amateur productions. Following their production of ‘The Addams Family Musical’, their next production will be ‘Sister Act the musical’, which will arrive at the Pavilion Theatre in Worthing in March twenty twenty seven.

I will admit, I’m no stranger to this musical. I’ve been an avid fan since twenty eighteen, when I played the non-cannon role of Cousin Curdle (an ancestor who died in a science lab accident) in my secondary school production. Six months of rehearsals back then and I can still recite every lyric to every song to this day. I then had the opportunity to finally catch a professional production when it went on tour last year, so now reviewing an am dram production feels like a really special full circle moment.

Worthing MTC has also been on my radar for a while and I had a lot of high hopes going into this show, needless to say, the production lived up to expectations and in a lot of ways, surprised me.

The set was pretty sparse, but it makes complete sense in this case to prioritise costuming given how vital it is to the narrative. Not to mention that Matt Collins direction made best use of the stage and audience space. Yes, the ancestors did come out into the audience even pre-show and it was very creepy. Perfect atmosphere to set up the tone for those who may not know anything about ‘The Addams Family’.

Additionally, the added benefit of this directorial choice was that it allowed for more space for additional dance numbers, a creative move which worked really well in maintaining a community feel and allowing members to take turns in the spotlight, celebrating what each member brings to the dinner table. The company being the real strength of this production. Each member embracing the vibrant, sinister spirit of Addams and really giving it their all.

(Photo Credit: LoveHeart Photography)

Amy Marchant brings a new kind of energy to the role of Morticia, portraying her as an absolute powerhouse, no-nonsense, badass head of the family, meanwhile Jamie Hyde’s Gomez is a bit of a hopeless romantic with the charisma of a gentle but protective and passionate Doberman. It must be said, however, that the stand out performance amidst the crypt of talent was Phil Davis’s Lurch. Usually just a creepy and forgettable presence in the background, his Lurch really lived up to his namesake and arguably created some of the funniest moments in the show. Not to mention that both his and Hannah Williams’s (Alice Beineke) singing voices were so draw dropping, rigor mortis almost set in.

On the subject of singing, the song choices in this show made my heart so happy. There are so many different song combinations for this musical, such as ‘But love Reprise Two’, ‘Not Today’, ‘Gomez’s 'What If' ‘Honor Roll’ and the often excluded ‘In The Arms’ (in which Mal Beineke gets trapped in the basement of the Addams family’s house and re-discovers his amour for Alice wrapped up in the tentacles of a squid). Whilst we didn't experience cephalopod love, witnessing more songs was a real treat and well justified within their musical landscape.

With further improvements made in regard to scene transitions, fluidity and background acting, Worthing MTC is on its way to a five star hit.

**** Four Stars

Age rating: Thirteen plus

Content notes: Pyrotechnics, flashing lights/bright lights/brightly coloured lights, haze, sudden loud noises including loud bangs, dark humor, mentions of death/loss/grief, depictions of dead relatives/ghosts, depictions and descriptions of torture and torture devices, descriptions of gore and causes of death including references to electrocution, stoning, choking, drowning, death by train, drug overdose and suicide, descriptions of self harm and harm to others, a prop disembodied hand, use of prop weaponry (foils and a crossbow), spiking, potions/drugs, mentions of the Spanish Inquisition, themes and depictions of discrimination, themes and depictions of toxic relationships and abandonment, innuendo/sexual references, strong language.

For more information and tickets: This event has passed, however, Worthing Musical Theatre Company is accepting new members. Their next show is 'Sister Act the musical', which will be performed in March twenty twenty seven. To find out more: Join WMTC | WMTC or @worthingmtc on Instagram.