Book by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice – Music & Lyrics by Andrew Lippa
Directed by Alexander Unikowski – Musical Direction by Darcy
Kinsella
Choreographed by Caitlin Schlig – Stage Managed by Lucy van
Dooren
Costume Design: Helen Wojtas – Lighting Design: Jacob
Aquilina – Sound Design: Telia Jansen: Set
design: Ian Croker, Charlotte Jackson & Sophie Hope-White.
Canberra Philharmonic Society. Erindale Theatre Aug.28th
– Sept.13. 2025
Opening night performance reviewed by BILL STEPHENS
 |
| Lucinda Hope-White (Puglsey) -Tim Stiles (Uncle Fester) - Lauren Nihill (Grandma)- Giuliana Baggoley (Morticia) -Quintin Gravatt (Gomez) - Andrew Finegan (Mal Beineke) -Amelia Andersson-Nickson (Alice Beineke) - Callan James Clarke (Lucas Beineke) - Leah Peel Griffiths (Wednesday) |
Since it opened on Broadway in 2010 the musical The Addams
Family has become a magnet for community theatre companies attracted by the
opportunities it offers to create a world inhabited by zombies.
Helmed by first-time director, Alexander Unikowski, the
Canberra Philharmonic Society has mounted an ambitious production boasting impressive
settings and costumes and a large talented cast.
The story revolves around a close-knit American family united
in their embrace of all things macabre, whose lifestyle is seriously disrupted
when the daughter, Wednesday, falls in love with a ‘normal’ boy, Lucas Beineke.
When Wednesday invites the Beinke Family to dinner, she
swears her father to secrecy about her plans to announce their engagement, sowing
the seeds for the chaos that erupts when Puglsey spikes Alice Beineke’s drink
prior to a parlour game, "Full Disclosure".
In this production by the Canberra Philharmonic Society, Philo
newcomers, Quintin Gravatt and Giuliana Baggoley portray the family patriarchs,
Gomez and Morticia Addams. Although both looked the part and offered creditable
performances, neither has yet mastered the comic sophistication demanded by the
roles. More attention to mining the laughs inherent in their lines will pay-off
in later performances.
.jpg) |
| Leah Peel Griffiths (Wednesday Addams) - Callan James Clarke (Lucas Beineke) |
Leah Peel Griffiths impressed with a stand-out performance as their recalcitrant daughter Wednesday; and although she gave it her best shot, it was hard to fathom the thinking behind miscasting Lucinda Hope-White as her brother, Puglsey.
Lauren Nihill relished garnering her fair share of the
laughs with her comic turn as Grandma; Tim Stiles tugged at the heartstrings
with his captivating performance as Uncle Fester, and Benjamin Martin was suitably
taciturn as the manservant, Lurch.
 |
| The Beineke Family Callan James Clarke (Lucas) - Amelia Andersson-Nickson (Alice) - Andrew Finegan (Mal) - Benjamin Martin (Lurch) |
Andrew Finegan and Amelia Andersson-Nickson are outstanding as Mal and Alice Beinke, with Andersson-Nickson stealing the show with her show-stopping rendition of Waiting. Callan James Clarke is totally believable as their son, and Wednesday’s on/off again fiancé, Lucas.
Unikowski has utilised his large cast wisely with his
decision to allot each zombie ensemble member an individual character to
develop. This paid off with interesting characterisations, particularly when
the zombies are observers, but it also resulted in irritating focus-pulling in critical
plot moments, as did his decision to pre-empt scenes by having characters and
scenery take the stage before the preceding scene was completed.
Another first-timer, Musical Director, Darcy Kinsella,
impressed with the excellence of the orchestral sound achieved, and the attentiveness
of his accompaniments, while choreographer Caitlin Schilg again displayed her
talent for filling the stage with interesting movement.
No doubt first night jitters that resulted in backstage crew
being too often caught in the spotlight, as well as other criticisms mentioned
above, will be overcome in future performances.
In which case audiences can be guaranteed of another
delightful evening of top-class musical theatre entertainment with this
production of The Addams Family by the Canberra Philharmonic Society.
 |
| Lauren Nihill (Grandma) - Tim Stiles (Uncle Fester) - Quintin Gravatt (Gomez) - Giuliana Baggoley (Morticia) - Lucinda Hope-White (Puglsey) - Leah Peel Griffiths (Wednesday) - Benjamin Martin (Lurch) Images by Ben Appleton. A slightly edited version of this review published in the digital edition of CITY NEWS on 29.08.25 |
