Norfolk Youth Music Theatre is a company that has delivered over the years and this fun-time musical is no exception.
Youth theatre always has the challenge of young people making credible adult characters, but this is not a problem with Aidan Parsons as Gomez the father and Molly Cutter as his wife Morticia. Add in Archie Brown as Uncle Fester with a characterization reminding me of Peter Capaldi and Lauren Bryant who produced a gravelly voice outside on the pavement and kept it up during the show.
The story is of the daughter Wednesday wanting to get married and the invitation to meet the prospective in-laws in the style of ‘Meet the Fockers’ with dark humour thrown in. It all goes wrong, of course, and to see if they live happily ever after, then you need to go and be royally entertained to get the answer.
This show is beautifully dressed with the dead ancestors making a good backdrop to show just how unusual chez Addams really is. Megan Artherton as Wednesday combines being fiancée material with her hobbies such as torturing her willing brother played by Marland Barsby. Megan’s expressions in reaction to other players are really good, while Aidan Brown’s dilemma of helping his daughter while testing his loyalty to his wife is skillfully handled.
The show has a number of really good songs - it is surprising that ‘Full Disclosure’ does not get more airplay. Lurch, the Frankenstein-esque manservant, makes a late, but surprising contribution.
This production has a short run, but one which any age will enjoy.
Runs to Saturday 15 August, 1.45pm