The Addams family is entertaining these days at the St-Denis Theater. Under the wise guidance of director René Simard, the strange clan pulled out all the stops. Result: the musical dedicated to them is pure (and delightful) entertainment.
Characters created by Charles Addams almost 100 years ago continue to rise from the ashes. The television series Wednesday, imagined by Tim Burton, put this macabre family back in the spotlight, as evidenced by the many little girls decked out in Wednesday’s dark braids on the evening of the premiere, Monday, at St-Denis.
It is therefore difficult to find a better time to offer the French version of this show presented successfully on Broadway. The broadcasters had flair, to say the least.
But the assured success that awaits The Addams Family is more than a matter of winning timing.
This large-scale production – which brings together on stage a cast of 28 performers-dancers and 7 musicians – contrasts with the more minimalist shows recently presented in Montreal.
Moreover, from the opening scene, the public understood that this time, we had done things in a big way. In the middle of a spectacular decor that emerges from the four corners of the stage, the members of the Addams family present themselves in a meticulously rehearsed choreography, while the specters of their ancestors (all dressed in white, but each recalling a specific historical era ) never stop leaving the family vault. It swirls in every corner as the music carries us away.
The vocal qualities of the performers add greatly to the seductive power of this show. They all have an accuracy and power that commands admiration. In the role of Wednesday, the eldest who falls in love with a very ordinary boy, Alexandra Sicard oscillates perfectly between assumed morbidity and the desire to be loved. Rita Tabbakh is a sensual Morticia. What about Luc Guérin? He is a Gomez Addams who is more funny than worrying, with his role as a father torn between the promise made to his daughter and the demands of his wife.
However, our favorite remains Tommy Joubert, in the role of Uncle Fétide, a deliciously quirky and touching character who will ensure that his niece’s loves are not disappointed.
If we have to find a flaw in this great success, it is perhaps in the duration of the show which stretches over almost three hours (intermission included). That’s a lot, especially for a show that will surely attract many children dressed as Wednesday (or his brother Pugsley.) Some duets could have been shortened, or even removed altogether without losing much in the process.
Moreover, the themes covered in The Addams Family risk chilling young viewers a little. Let’s face it, this show wasn’t really written for them. There is a lot of talk here about romantic relationships, acceptance of difference, the wear and tear of the couple… There are also some salacious jokes which will leave them perplexed by the bursts of laughter from the adults.
But apart from this downside, this musical has something to reconcile with the genre those who have been left wanting by recent, lesser-scale productions.
