Run, Don’t Lurch, to See Novato Theater Company’s Rip Roaring Production of, “The Addam’s Family”

…Da Da Da Dah Snap Snap

Review by Hannah Yurke

Frightfully Fantastic

This show was an absolute knockout. A sharp, consistently hilarious script, lots of great songs, and a stellar cast who all sparked off each other to generate a joyful and synchronous energy. It’s hard not to love the whole of the wonderfully macabre Addam’s family, who, despite, or maybe because of, their weird and subversive ways, somehow manage to be unexpectedly functional. We have an amazing pool of talent here in the Bay Area and director, choreographer, the irrepressible Marilyn Izdebski knows how to find them and bring out their very best. You wouldn’t be disappointed if you saw this on Broadway. 

Wednesday & Lucas

Currently, everyone’s favorite eccentric family has a wayward teenager in it’s midst in the form of Wednesday (soon to be Thursday), who’s in love with a boy (Lucas) visiting from Ohio. When he and his straight laced parents (Alice and Mal) are invited to dinner at the haunted house in the middle of Central Park, secrets are bottled up and things don’t go as smoothly as they should. 

Morticia & Gomez

Alison Peltz as Morticia and Bruce Vieira as Gomez, have pitch perfect chemistry as the still in love parents of two bickering teens. The entrenched sibling rivalry becomes poignant as Wednesday is showing signs of growing up and away from all that, leaving Pugsley to contemplate the emptiness that will ensue. Because it’s about a family, this is a story that will appeal to everyone, but especially all those empty nesters and soon to be empty nesters out there, as well as their teenage kids. It addresses the issues of kids picking partners that we may not approve of, and, with comedic flair, touches on our inevitable fear of them flying the nest. Morticia highlights my darkest fears when she says, ”So this is how it ends... Alone and forgotten in a tiny room, living on cat food and broken dreams – that’s what happens to mothers.” Songs like “Death is Just Around the Corner,” while funny, offer up a veiled reminder to throw off our fears and live while we can.

Ghoulishly Good

Jane Harrington and David Shirk as Alice and Mal, the naive out-of-towners, were both hilarious. Hats off too, to the Witchy Grandma, Kayla Gold, with her decrepit wisdom and cart of alluring herbs and poisons. Pat Barr played a gentle Uncle Fester and elicited light hearted empathy with the revelation about his unrequited love. And Todd Krish as Lurch, tried to hurry while lurching with great comic effect.

Pugsley

Robin Kraft as Pugsley, the moody, scheming younger brother who smokes when stressed, (I loved the edginess of that), gave a wonderfully obstreperous performance, and Harriette Pearl Fugitt as Wednesday with her eye rolls, attempted smile, truculent attitude and beautiful voice was just so, so good. John Hector Diaz as Lucas, the smitten, clean cut boy, with a morbid streak, complemented her perfectly.

Devilishly Delightful

The troupe of ghostly ancestors were expertly choreographed, and oh so well dressed. Infact, all the costumes were impressive, from Morticia’s iconic black, sexy dress and Gomez’s double breasted, striped suit to the Ohion’s mid western conservative choices, with that penchant for yellow. And we mustn’t forget the delightful cousin IT, small but conspicuous, what a great idea for a Halloween costume!

The Novato Theater Company has a talented painter in the house too, because the set looked great, and the four-part orchestra, headed up by Judy Wiesen didn’t miss a note.

For parents of young children

There are a few mild sexual references, though chances are good they’ll miss them. As the opener for the Novato Theater Company’s new season, this is the perfect production to gently push us towards Halloween and the holidays. My plus one, hadn’t visited the Novato Theater Company before and was amazed at just how professional the performance was. She said she hadn’t had that much fun for a long time. If you’re a musical aficionado, or even if you’re not, I’ll eat my hat, (with a cockroach or two thrown in for good measure), if you don’t agree! Rip roaring fun is guaranteed!