‘The Addams Family’ – RYEDALE YOUTH THEATRE – Milton Rooms, Malton – 5th – 8th April 2023

There were ghostly goings on in Malton’s Milton Rooms when “The Addams Family” rolled into town.   Once again the multi-talented Ryedale Youth Theatre company have produced another winner, bringing us musical comedy, wonderful songs, jokes, choreography and costume all rolled in to a thoroughly entertaining showpiece. The audience were introduced to the family – and their ancestors – in the opening number ‘When you’re an Addams’. Morticia Addams (Evie-Mae Dale) and her ever loving husband Gomez (Joshua Lewis) are the proud parents of daughter Wednesday (Ruby Jackson) and son Pugsley (Felix Saunders). They are joined by Gomez’s brother Fester (Sam Piercy) and Grandma (Evie Bates) and their strange butler, Lurch (Torin Pope). They also share their home and their lives with their ancestors – who we can see too.

The action centres around Wednesday’s plan to marry her “normal” boyfriend Lucas Beineke (Johnny Tyson) and she confides her plan to her father, asking him not to tell her mother quite yet. The Beineke family are coming over for dinner – which promises to be a VERY interesting evening. Clearly there have been some problems in the Beineke marriage – as evidenced by Mrs Beineke     (India Collier-Hield) and Mr Beineke (Callum Hodgson). Intertwined with this there are the love stories of other family members and the guests. Of course, this being theatre, there’s a happy ending but not before there’s a lot of drama, misunderstanding and reconciliation on the way there.

It is impossible to single out individual performers, the principals all acted, sang and danced brilliantly, each one of them a ‘triple threat’ and so totally professional they wouldn’t be out of place on a West End stage.   The timing of the action and the cast’s stagecraft proof of the hours of dedicated rehearsal undertaken to reach the high standard of this show. Everyone completely “held” their accents (all American except Gomez, with a superb Spanish accent).   The ancestors, all singing and dancing, were magnificent, with inventive, slick and sharp chorography and note-perfect singing. In fact I don’t think I have heard RYT in better voice.   Their costumes (in the charge of Jane Gledhill) and make up were just right, and I could see so many different occupations depicted – from farmer burlesque dancer to suffragette. The laugh-out-loud comedic action and jokes made it clear that the whole cast were having a terrific time – as did the audience. The darkly comic aspect is very evident in so many little touches – family photos, the flowers being picked off their stems and thrown away while the stalks are put in the vase etc.   The clever staging, set and lighting also helped the action moved smoothly without too many scene changes.

Once again the audience enjoyed another expertly produced and highly entertaining show. Chloe Shipley – the director and choreographer had an assistant choreographer (Elizabeth Armstrong), both of whom are ex Ryedale Youth Theatre members themselves. Musical Director Rachael Clarke led the singing and also the terrific nine piece live band (hidden from sight in the bar). The depth of talent on that stage, with an age range of 8 to 18, tells me that we will be enjoying shows from this vibrant team for many years to come. Whatever they do next I’ll be there to watch and I hope you will too.

Anne-Marie Gatford

April 2023