It may be January but Milton Keynes Theatre have gone full gothic with the return of The Addams Family.
The classic TV show and movie franchise has been adapted for the stage by Andrew Lippa as a musical comedy with a very dark sense of humour and some great spooky sets and (mostly black) costumes plus a live band.
The plot is a little thin on the ground but it centres around Wednesday Addams who announces to her shocked Dad, Gomez that she has a boyfriend but doesn't want to tell Morticia until after the family have come round to dinner. But can the Addams Family manage to 'act normal' and how will Morticia react when she finds out she's been left in the dark?
Most of the story is concluded by the interval with a sparse second act but the show makes up for it with some great performances - notably from Kingsley Morton as Wednesday who has a powerful voice and great energy.
Many of the same cast have returned, 4 years on from its last performance in MK, but with the addition of Strictly star Joanne Clifton as Morticia Addams who brings elegance and diva qualities to the part. She has an opportunity to perform a sultry tango with Cameron Blakely as Gomez which brings a new dimension to the character.
Scott Paige is brilliant as Uncle Fester, and Valda Aviks somewhat steals the show as Grandma Addams alongside Grant McIntyre as Pugsley Addams and Sean Kingsley as Wednesday's love interest Mal Beineke.
It's also great to see the return of Dickon Gough as Lurch who hilariously keeps everyone waiting as he shuffles across the stage painfully slowly in the middle of scenes.
This is a funny and entertaining show which is great fun at any time of the year and seemed to be a real hit with audiences in Milton Keynes.
- (front L&R) Kingsley Morton, Ahmed Hamad, (centre) Scott Paige and the ensemble of THE ADDAMS FAMILY Credit Pamela Raith
- Addams Family (1st edit)-046 Reto
- Ahmed Hamad as Lucas Beineke, Kingsley Morton as Wednesday Addams with the cast of THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith
- Cameron Blakely as Gomez Addams & Joanne Clifton as Morticia Addams in THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith
- Cameron Blakely as Gomez Addams in THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith
- Dickon Gough as Lurch in THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith
- Grant McIntyre as Pugsley Addams in THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith
- Joanne Clifton as Morticia Addams & Cameron Blakely as Gomez Addams in THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith (2)
- Joanne Clifton as Morticia Addams & Cameron Blakely as Gomez Addams in THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith
- Joanne Clifton as Morticia Addams in THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith
- Kara Lane as Alice Beineke & Joanne Clifton as Morticia Addams in THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith
- Kara Lane as Alice Beineke and the ensemble of THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith
- Kingsley Morton as Wednesday Addams & Cameron Blakely as Gomez Addams in THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith
- Kingsley Morton as Wednesday Addams in THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith (2)
- Kingsley Morton as Wednesday Addams in THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith
- LtoR Sean Kingsley, Ahmed Hamad, Kara Lane, Kingsley Morton, Cameron Blakely & Joanne Clifton in THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith
- Scott Paige as Uncle Fester (centre) with the cast of THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith
- Scott Paige as Uncle Fester with the ensemble of THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith (2)
- Scott Paige as Uncle Fester with the ensemble of THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith
- Sean Kingsley as Mal Beineke, Ahmed Hamad as Lucas Beineke & Kara Lane as Alice Beineke in THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith
- Sean Kingsley as Mal Beineke, Dickon Gough as Lurch, Cameron Blakely as Gomez Addams in THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith
- The cast of THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith (2)
- The cast of THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith (3)
- The cast of THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith (4)
- The cast of THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith
- Valda Aviks as Grandma in THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Credit Pamela Raith