The concert production of the musical ran from the 12th-13th February.
All That Dazzles: *** “Some stunning performances and a great production value meant this ambitious concert was far more impressive than expected. However, several inconsistencies and a leading performance that didn’t quite match her fellow performers did let it down somewhat in a production which, while still highly enjoyable and nowhere near a horror show, didn’t always click.”
The Stage: **** ” West End outing of the familiar macabre tale benefits from a strong line of humour and lively performances.”
Broadway World: *** “The production has its blessings (principally Karimloo, Dornford-May and Lane) but is let down by a number of factors. The first is the so-so script which has a strange dig at Trump amid a few more oblique Americanisms (when Gomez finds out where Lucas is from, he retorts “Ohio? A swing state?”). Wednesday’s character is written as softer than one would expect: no Addams child would plead with anyone – never mind a parent – before blackmail, poisoning or other potent options had been fully explored. There are some fine lines but the humour is neither as mordant nor as morbid as one would expect from this joyfully grim family. “
The Reviews Hub: **** 1/2 “The Addams Family has remained a pop culture staple through its delightfully entertaining take on the macabre; putting family first within the weirdest of settings. The musical adaptation builds on this sweetly and the current Palladium presentation, in particular, makes for a highly crowd-pleasing experience.”
London Theatre Reviews.co.uk: **** “Although almost every aspect of the production was brilliant, there were certain performances that truly stole the spotlight. Among them, Chumisa Dornford-May’s portrayal of Wednesday stands out, as she delivers a fiery rendition of Pulled. Equally remarkable is Kara Lane’s portrayal of Alice Beineke, whose initially tame and conservative character surprises the audience with a sudden burst of operatic intensity during Waiting, showcasing Lane’s powerhouse vocals. And not to forget, Sam Buttery’s hilarious presentation of Uncle Fester. Every moment Buttery has on stage is met with high energy, and their comedic moments are always perfectly timed.”
Gay Times: **** “The show contains lots of highlights, with several decent songs (the band sounds great) and numerous laugh-out-loud, darkly comedic punchlines. It all moves along at a fair pace thanks to the energetic, lively performances from the talented cast. It may only have a brief run but we’re glad to have it here – hugely entertaining stuff.”
The Upcoming: ** “So grotesquely theatrical are the Addams that a reinvented vaudevillian appearance for London’s West End seemed inevitable. However, composer Andrew Lippa’s musical score and Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice’s script struggle to deliver many genuine laughs or catchy numbers that live up to the legacy. Only Morticia’s act two solo Just Around the Corner offers the witty twisted humour fans of the family might expect.”
Musical Theatre Review: *** “To coin a fitting phrase, if you want to pick the best bones out of this production, the numbers in Act II are certainly an improvement from those in the first. ‘Just Around the Corner’, sung by Morticia with morbid joy, was the kind of number the audience had been craving for a while, as was ‘Crazier Than You,’ Wednesday, Lucas (Ryan Kopel), Mal (Sean Kingsley) and Alice (Kara Lane) jousting vocally to some effect. Towards the finale, there’s even something for Strictly Come Dancing fans with the raunchy ‘Tango de Amor’ showing that Visage and Karimloo are no slouches when it comes to a slick dance routine.”
The Spy in the Stalls: * 1/2 “The Addams Family: The Musical Comedy – Live in Concert is pretty feeble stuff and – despite the talent of the cast – not much can be done to enliven such a boring storyline.”
North West End.com: *** “It is a faithful interpretation of its script, neither innovative nor derivative, and fans of the musical itself are unlikely to be disappointed in either production or performers.”