'Da da da da' <click> <click>, 'da da da da' <click click> ...
Look who's coming
to dinner ...
'The Addams
Family' musical ran for nearly two years on Broadway, from 2010–2011. With a
current tour across North America, and another one proposed, it's pleasing to
see Australia beat London to the punch for the next major production.
(Surprisingly, there's also a Brazillian production currently running.) The
Australian staging — which may incorporate revised elements brought into the
show during its American tour — opens in Sydney, March 2013.
It's nice to see
another show having its out of town try-out in in NSW. But we all know that the
heart of musical theatre in Australia is Melbourne, don't we, people?
'The Addams
Family' is another in a line of family-friendly shows that are doing brisk
business around the world. Based upon the cartoons of artist Charles Addams,
and made famous in the 1960s TV series of the same name, the Addams family has
also featured in a series of movies over the last decade. This stage production, however, features an all-new
story, and some additional new characters.
The book is by
Oscar-winning Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice of the musical 'Jersey Boys'
fame. Music and lyrics are by Broadway wunderkind, Andrew Lippa, who is most
well-known for his scores of 'The Wild Party' and 'You're a Good Man, Charlie
Brown'. I've not listened to the cast recording of this show in depth, but it
does have some lovely tunes. (Memo to self: Catch up backlog of Broadway and
West End cast recordings. Yikes.)
The Australian
cast of 'The Addams Family' was presented to the media for the first time just
last month. This production will be headlined by John Waters and Chloë
Dallimore; respectively, as the debonair Gomez Addams, and the frostily
beautiful Morticia Addams. A legend of Australian television, film and stage,
Waters will no doubt lend his gravitas to this production. High-kicking
Dallimore is well-known to Melbourne audiences from her turn as the sultry
'Ula' in 'The Producers', and more recently as 'Lily St Regis', one of the
villains in 'Annie'.
Melbourne
performers Ben Hudson and Teagan Wouters respectively appear as the towering
'Lurch' and the Addams' daughter, 'Wednesday'. Indeed, the plot revolves around
Wednesday's love for a 'normal' boy and the ensuing shenanigans and badly-kept
secrets, followed by a dinner party involving both families. With echoes of the
plot of 'La Cage Aux Folles', this should provide fodder for many hilarious
moments.
I'm very much
looking forward to see how they manage to animate the disembodied hand
character, 'Thing', for this production. 'The Addams Family' musical looks like
it will be a hoot; think 'Thriller' meets 'The Birdcage'.
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