Dark, zany ‘Addams Family’ at Ocean State Theatre

Don Fowler
Posted 10/8/15

Theatre review

by DON FOWLER

Charles Addams first brought us “The Addams Family” in his humorous New Yorker cartoons.

Since then, the weird, dark, zany family has appeared in a TV …

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Dark, zany ‘Addams Family’ at Ocean State Theatre

Posted

Theatre review

by DON FOWLER

Charles Addams first brought us “The Addams Family” in his humorous New Yorker cartoons.

Since then, the weird, dark, zany family has appeared in a TV series and two movies. It was inevitable that the characters would make it to the Broadway stage.

Producing artistic director Amiee Turner directs and choreographs the musical comedy at Warwick’s Ocean State Theatre Company, pulling out all the physical and verbal stops. While the comedy is at times corny and over the top, you can’t help but laugh at the portrayal of Gomez and Morticia Addams (Steve Gagliastro and Katie Anne Clark), their two kids, Wednesday and Pugsley (Kayla Tomas and Alexander Torello), Uncle Fester (Fred Frabotta), Grandma (Connie Anderson) and their butler (Joseph Torello).

The story is simple. Wednesday is now a teenager, and has fallen in love with Lucas (Brody Karn), a “normal” boy from a “normal” family.

Wednesday tells her father, but they keep it a secret from her mother, with disastrous and hilarious results.

The Beinke family is invited to dinner at the Addams’, and culture clash between the weirdos of Central Park and the straight folks from Ohio is inevitable.

After dinner Mortitia engages everyone in a game called “Full Disclosure,” where everyone must tell the truth. Pugsley gives a magic potion to the wrong person, setting the scene for a show-stopping performance by Jennifer Mischley as Lucas’ mother, with her stiff husband (Jason Loete) in complete shock.

“The Addams Family” is a combination of three love stories – those of Wednesday and Lucas, his parents, and her parents. It’s actually four if you throw in Uncle Fester and his obsession with the moon.

The musical is a bit too long – two hours and 20 minutes, plus intermission – and a couple of songs could easily be cut. The first act drags at times, but the second act moves quicker and is funnier.

Torello’s interpretation of Lurch, the butler, is worth the price of admission. He lurches around the stage uttering guttural sounds, only to break loose in the finale in the show’s finest moments.

While this is a family show, there are a number of sexual innuendos that should go over the heads of the young ones.

The contrived addition of the “Addams Ancestors” help move the scenes along, providing song and dance backup and some clever costuming.

Esther Zabinski’s Orchestra gain provides good live backup to the clever, if not memorable songs.

It’s a pleasant show, and while not a classic, it is a fun night out, fitting perfectly with the time of the year.

“The Addams Family” is at Ocean State Theatre Company, 1245 Jefferson Blvd. in Warwick, through Oct. 25. Tickets are $39-$59, with a bargain $30 seat one hour before curtain, if available. Call 921-6800 for reservations.

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